07/02/2017 Monday in Parliament

Hello and welcome to Monday in Parliament, our look

The headlines: The Speaker of the House of Commons has told MPs

he doesn't want President Trump to address the Houses of Parliament.

Our opposition to racism and to sexism, and our support for equality

before the law, and an independent judiciary, are hugely important

considerations in the House of Commons.

By comparison, slightly more measured tones

from the Prime Minister on the special relationship,

as she reports back from an informal EU summit in Malta.

We should engage patiently and constructively with America, as a

friend and ally. An ally which has helped guarantee the longest period

of peace which Europe has ever known.

And radically different views as MPs try to get to the bottom

of what it's like to work in the "gig" economy.

First: The Speaker of the House of Commons has told MPs

he is strongly opposed to President Trump

on his state visit to the United Kingdom.

John Bercow said the migrant travel ban has made

He said that an address was not an automatic right,

Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been

strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall.

After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, I am even

more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster

Hall. So far as the Royal Gallery is concerned, and again, I operate on

advice, I do not perhaps have as strong a say in that matter. It is

in a different part of the building, although customarily an invitation

to a visiting leader to deliver an address their would be issued in the

names of the two speakers. I would not wish to issue an invitation to

President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery. And I conclude by

saying to the honourable gentleman this. We value our relationship with

the United States. If the state visit takes place that is way beyond

and above the pay grade of the speaker. However, as far as this

place is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to

racism and to sexism, and our support for equality before the law

and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in

the House of Commons. The long-standing Labour MP,

Dennis Skinner, stood Clapping is not normally permitted

in the chamber. No, we shouldn't have clapping. We

shouldn't have clapping in the chamber, but sometimes it is easier

just to let it go them to make a huge fuss about it. But there you

go. In more moderate tones,

earlier Theresa May told MPs the world should engage patiently

with the new US administration. While reporting back

on an informal EU summit in Malta, the Prime Minister said

it was important other Nato members kept to their 2% defence spend,

and said again that the rights of EU citizens to stay in the UK had to be

part of the Brexit negotiations, because that was what

other countries wanted. Labour says the uncertainty on that

could be ended much sooner. Theresa May began by paying

tribute to the Queen, on the occasion

of her Sapphire Jubilee. Mr Speaker, before I turn to the

European Council I am sure that the whole house will want to join me in

sending our congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen, as she marks her

Sapphire Jubilee today. It is testament to Her Majesty's selfless

devotion to the nation that she is not marking being the first monarch

to serve for 65 years with any celebration, but instead getting on

with the job to which she has dedicated her life. Written is

leaving the European Union but it is not leaving Europe and the global

Britain which stands tall in the world will be a good friend and ally

to all of our European partners. So at this summit which showed how

Britain will continue to play a leading role in Europe, long after

we have left the EU, in particular through our contribution to the

challenge of managing mass migration, through our special

relationship with America, and through the new and equal

partnership that we want to build between the EU and independent,

self-governing global Britain. Of course there are some areas where we

disagree with the approach of the new Administration, and we should be

clear about those disagreements and about the values that underpin our

response to the global challenges that we face. But I also argue at

this council that we should engage patiently and constructively with

America as a friend and ally, and ally that has helped guarantee the

longest period of peace that Europe has ever known. For we should be

clear, Mr Speaker, that the alternative of division and

confrontation would only embolden those who would do us harm, wherever

they may be. But the Labour MP

Jeremy Corbyn cast doubt So while the Prime Minister is

lecturing other countries, can she tell the house of why the government

change the accounting rules to include aspects of expenditure that

were not previously included? The Defence Select Committee, in 2015,

noted the government is only meeting the 2% figure by including other

areas, such as pensions, which have not been included before. And goes

on to say this redefinition of defence expenditure undermines, to

some extent, the credibility of the government's assertion that the 2%

figure represents an increase. Labour has been unequivocal that it

is within this government's gift to guarantee the rights of EU citizens

to remain in this country. There is no need to wait for negotiations to

begin. The government could do it now. This is not a question about

Brexit. It is a question about human rights, democracy, and decency,

towards people who have lived and worked in these countries, and many

families here have children born here, and I think we must guarantee

their rights. Did the Prime Minister remind European colleagues that in

Scotland we voted by 62% to remain within the European Union, and that

only one, only one, Member of Parliament representing a Scottish

constituency voted for her Brexit legislation? Mr Speaker, we are

getting to a stage where warm words from the government are not enough.

It is the member state that is supposed to negotiate on all of our

behalf is within the European Union. Scotland didn't warrant a single

mention in the prime Minister's statement. She now has the

opportunity to tell us what Scottish priorities did she raised at the

European Summit? Did she raised any at all?

The Prime Minister replied that she was putting forward

The issue of EU nationals living in the United Kingdom was returned

to, as members of Parliament continued their scrutiny

of legislation which will lead to a triggering of Article 50

The Government says the fate of European Union citizens living

in the UK must be decided along with that of UK citizens living

But one senior Labour MP said the Prime Minister

On the one hand, she says no one who is lawfully here has anything to

worry about. On the other hand, she says that she can't commit to giving

them residency rights, because their future must depart of the

negotiations. I just cannot feel it is anyway right to use the lives of

3 million people and their families as a bargaining chip. They and their

families are not pawns in a game of poker with the EU. They cannot be

used as a human shield, as we battle it out in Europe for our UK citizens

in other countries abroad. That may well put at rest the concerns of EU

nationals in Britain but it seems to me it was simply throwing overboard

the interests and concerns of UK citizens living elsewhere in the

European Union. We would not have secured their interest is, and would

have thrown away our ability to do so. I thank the honourable gentleman

for giving way, and 15% of the stuff, 5% of students and 10% of

research students in Cardiff University in my constituency from

the EU. Does he agree with me that there is a significant risk that the

EU staff and their spouses will seek employment elsewhere, outside the

UK, if they don't have certainty now from the government, and we lose all

our intellectual capital? I agree with the honourable lady, which is

why I'm very pleased that the prime Minister, in a statement that she

made today and on a number of other occasions, has made it clear that

she wants to reach an early agreement, and has been seeking to

do so with our European partners. I am a member of the exiting the EU

Select Committee and we heard evidence from a number of British

nationals living in Spain, Germany, Italy and France a few weeks ago,

and they were members of representative organisations of

other British nationals. Every single one of them said that they

felt if the UK government made a unilateral guarantee of the right of

EU nationals living here, and the other member states would

reciprocate. The Liberal Democrat Alistair

Carmichael said that certainty on where people could live

was very important. The challenge that faces upcountry

at this point -- our country at this point is how we go forward in a way

that allows us to bring the 52% in the 48% back together. This is an

enormous challenge for our country. It is one that we cannot meet simply

with the support of half of our population. It is something for

which we need all of our people to be able to pull together. This would

be one small measure that would allow the government to bring the

two sides together, to get the best possible deal for all our citizens,

whether they are British by birth or British by choice. It is as

important to us as British parliamentarians, as the British

government, to defend the rights of British citizens living overseas,

and there are a lot of them and not all of them are contributing

particularly to their society and a lot of them are retired, so they are

even more vulnerable, in a sense, and many of those EU workers who are

here, actively working. It is the first duty of this house to look

after Rajesh citizens wherever they may be. But also, being aware that

we have a duty to EU nationals at the same time. So I think, again, it

would be completely wrong in terms of negotiating, in terms of our

negotiating position, to declare your unilaterally, that all EU

nationals up to a certain date can continue to live here without any

fear or favour. Sir Hugo Swire, defending

the Prime Minister's arguments You're listening to

Monday in Parliament. Coming up: A change in headgear sets

the Commons aflutter. But first: Rarely on the Committee

corridor do you hear quite such contrasting opinions as those

presented to the Work and Pensions The subject was the "gig" economy,

where workers get paid for each job they do, rather than being fully

employed or on a contract. One set of witnesses was full

of praise for cab and courier firms. working as a career? I was a

full-time tennis coach and I was finding it tough. I wanted another

job to mix in with my coaching. The courier job just fit that bill. It

fits in with my coaching so I can deliver, do tennis coaching and that

was white. Dip in and out. I can go out delivering for a couple of

hours, do a tennis lesson, go out and deliver, do another tennis

lesson. It suits my lifestyle. It is a matter of attitude. Any other

minicab company, then the view that they have one customer. The great

thing about Uber, it sees it as to customers. Other companies don't,

but Uber sees the driver as a customer and doing things like

making life easier for us. Over four years, I've been able to have that

view, they have a driving an easier experience. I always know what

rounds I have. I go to the depot. I know what minimum pass as I will

have. I always do well at the minimum. I do well above minimum

wage. I get the hours to do when there is work out there. You are

here to speak to yourselves and talk about your own stories. We are very

grateful. Do you consider yourselves to be typical of the group of people

that you work with in each of the areas you to work? It's difficult to

say. My contact with other Uber drivers has been limited. Two of

them are at Uber Christmas parties, which are very nice. All the other

drivers seem happy. I occasionally use Uber as a passenger and a chat

with the driver and say I am a driver. Never hurt anybody who had

anything bad to say. My brother was a Uber driver in Manchester. He is

happy. Contrast that with the next witnesses. It's now very expensive

to me personally to work. The number of drivers now is restricting what

you can earn. A year ago, there was a lot less drivers and a lot more

work. Now it is a case of it is much slower. There are more drivers out

there. You've got to work longer hours to earn what you weren't

before. Don't get me wrong, either gets a great platform, a super

platform for the public, there is no doubt about that. But for the

drivers, it is the cheapest form of transport for the public so out

there is the cheapest. And it's the most bookings service for any driver

to use. It then becomes expensive rice and cheaper the public and

those things do not match. One of the biggest expenses is your car? He

actually had to buy it to get the job. And Uber don't take old cars. I

was on the exact form, you need to have a certain car. You need to have

a $40,000 car. I find myself is running around with an E class doing

jobs that to pounds 25 and that is a nerd. Black charges ?2 for the first

and they can make money. We've got all these things to do. You sit down

and you talk to Uber and I have tried. I said I would like you to

negotiate with me on the feed that you charge and the fees that are

charged to the public. We want to charge more. They refused to do it.

In July last year, my car was off the road, the morning I was supposed

to go back to work, they said I haven't got any rounds any more.

Basically, yes. They just sent me a text and said we have taken the

rounds off you. You should have gone on holiday and that is that. Now to

the Lords when peers from all sides raise concerns about the pressure

facing adult social care in England. It is evident that the care homes

are facing an existential problem. The costs of increased by 30% over

the last year with the introduction of a national living wage and net

profits reduced. 1500 homes have closed over the last six years and

there is a major problem going on. It's good -- not good enough to

exhort that councils pick up the gap when our funding has been curtailed

and it's not helping care homes. When will the government get a grip

of this serious crisis? I'm pleased this is a government that has

introduced the national living wage which is supported across this house

and the other place. There is an impact on social care home providers

lots of the staff in which to operate and are paid at that level.

There is pressure in the social sector and that is one of the

reasons the precept is rising and the better care fund has been

created to support more care provisions in the appropriate

setting that people want to have it in. A BBC survey has found a number

of patients on hospital wards in England has been at unsafe levels in

nine out of ten NHS trusts this winter. Bosses have said that

hospitals have major problems discharging frail patients. The

Independent or crossbench peer Lady Green Cross said the government

should follow the lead of other countries and provide rehabilitation

centres. The Minister conceded that in many countries, people who are in

acute hospitals don't need to be there if there was somewhere they

could go very quickly after being admitted to hospital to

rehabilitation centres? In many countries, small rehab centres which

could be a lot of our smaller hospitals, are being closed down,

nurse - glad, I where people go immediately part of the acute

hospital sector and that if we did that, we could sell some of the

problems and we would have the right sort of care for a lot of field

people who at the moment are accused of blocking hospitals which they do

but it's not their fault. I think the noble lady raises an incredibly

important point. It's often the case that patients and up in hospitals

for a variety of reasons which is not always the best setting for

them. The kind of care she is describing as important. It might be

rehab centres or cottage hospitals and what we are seeing food the

sustainability and transformation plans are ideas for immediate care

or stepdown care which provide the sort of thing she is talking about.

Will she ensure -- will he ensure the number of care home places

remains at a level to enable those to be discharged from hospital when

they are deemed safe to do so and if there is cut the shortage of care

home beds in counties such as North Yorkshire, will his department work

closely with the local authorities up and down the country to ensure

that people can leave hospital and go to a care home where that is

appropriate? I think my noble friend from making an important point. The

capacity in the care home sector is important in making sure there was a

proper flow of patients out of hospitals and into a more

appropriate setting. Where there is a shortage of residential or nursing

home care beds, the onus of care falls on the families and would he

take this opportunity to update his honourable friend in the other

place, the Minister of health, who last week exhorted the nation to

care for its elderly relatives. Apparently forgetting that there are

6.5 million people who already do so, at great personal cost to

themselves? The noble lady is quite right to highlight the work that

carers do. There is a national carers strategy to support those

people who are supporting the family often in very difficult

circumstances. The point that my honourable friend in the other place

was trying to make was that there is an important role to families to do

so in the way parents would do for children, that children should do to

their parents can return. The Health Minister. Before John Bercow's

statement on Donald Trump, he said hearts racing on the benches. The

commission endorsed a proposition reflecting the overwhelming view of

his college that clerks should no longer wear wigs at the table in the

chamber. They will also cease to wear court dress but they will

continue to wear gallons so as to be distinguishable as experts in

Parliamentary procedure, not lawyers and certainly not members. Details

are in a letter from the clerk of the house to the chair of the

procedure committee, available on the committee's website and in the

vote office. Colleagues will be pleased to learn that this change

will, in the longer term, save money, and it will I believe be

welcomed by those clerks who serve all look forward to serving at the

table and it will moreover in my view, which I recognise may not be

universally shared, conveyed to the public a marginally less stuffy and

forbidding image of this chamber at work. The new regime, colleagues,

will start soon after we return from the short February recess. Order.

With that, on to education but questions on that announcement won't

exhausted and return to after the Prime Minister's statement. With

great respect to your statement at the beginning of proceedings on

behalf of the commission that the dress and composition of the clerks

sitting in this house should change forthwith after the recess, can I

urge you to reconsider this and consider whether the whole house or

to have an opportunity to address this matter before its inactive.

What I would say to the honourable gentleman is this. If he believes

that the time of the house either in the chamber or in Westminster Hall,

would be well spent by discussing this matter, he knows the avenues

that are open to him. Sir Gerald. Further to that point of order,

eyeing gree --I agree with Mike honourable friend and I was taken by

surprise which had the appearance of a misunderstanding but it had the

appearance of an executive order. I was slightly surprised by that. I

had discussed the matter with the clerk who had done me the enormous

courtesy of asking my view and I had declared informally but I thought it

was sensible to continue because this, Mr Speaker, is the High Court

of Parliament. And I do think that the clerks dressed as they are add

to the dignity of the house. Some of us are not always capable of

enhancing that. But the clerks do. It wasn't an executive order. It was

a request from the clerks themselves to which I, and the members of the

House of Commons commission, agreed. Now, people are entitled to their

views about it but the idea this was something that I dreamt up and

sought to impose against the will of the clerks is 100% wrong. The

Speaker, John Bercow. That is all on me. Keith McDougall is yet to the

rest of the week. But from me, goodbye.

Monday turned out to be quite a day of weather across some parts

of the British Isles with a combination of wind and rain

and hill snow through the northern parts as well.

Tuesday, a chilly start wherever you may be.

There will still will be some of that Monday rain lingering,