:00:19. > :00:20.Hello and welcome to Monday In Parliament, our look
:00:21. > :00:25.Peers start debate on the Brexit Bill -
:00:26. > :00:29.with the Leader in the Lords warning them not to slow things down.
:00:30. > :00:37.The government is determined to trigger Article 50 by the 31st of
:00:38. > :00:44.March in order to deliver on the decision of the British people. The
:00:45. > :00:46.bill before us is a procedural part of that withdrawal process.
:00:47. > :00:49.MPs debate two petitions on Donald Trump - one calling
:00:50. > :00:51.for his state visit to be cancelled, the other welcoming it.
:00:52. > :00:54.One Labour MP said it went against everything she'd
:00:55. > :01:05.By allowing Donald Trump a state visit and rolling out the red carpet
:01:06. > :01:11.we are endorsing all of those views, all of those things I've fought hard
:01:12. > :01:12.against, and saying, do you know what? It's OK.
:01:13. > :01:15.And the Business Secretary pledges to do all he can
:01:16. > :01:17.to safeguard jobs at Vauxhall, amid speculation a French motor
:01:18. > :01:26.Every part of Britain has a stake in Vauxhall and so I completely agree
:01:27. > :01:30.with her that we will do everything we can and my personal commitment
:01:31. > :01:33.and the commitment of this government will be unbounded.
:01:34. > :01:35.The House of Lords has begun considering the law
:01:36. > :01:36.which would allow Brexit to go ahead.
:01:37. > :01:39.The Prime Minister was in the chamber to hear
:01:40. > :01:44.The Leader of the Lords, Lady Evans, warned peers not to block Brexit -
:01:45. > :01:47.although some have called for the Lords to ask
:01:48. > :01:50.for greater oversight in Parliament of the final deal.
:01:51. > :01:53.187 peers are scheduled to speak over two days of debate.
:01:54. > :02:01.The process of leaving the European Union is a complex one
:02:02. > :02:03.but it is also an opportunity for your Lordships' House
:02:04. > :02:06.to demonstrate the valuable role that we can play.
:02:07. > :02:08.I know that the Great Repeal Bill will be of particular interest
:02:09. > :02:12.but it will be only one of a number of bills brought before
:02:13. > :02:16.Parliament during the process of exiting the EU.
:02:17. > :02:20.From immigration to customs, this House and the Other Place
:02:21. > :02:22.will have a huge number of opportunities to help shape
:02:23. > :02:29.My Lords, the Government is determined to trigger Article 50
:02:30. > :02:32.by the 31st of March in order to deliver on the decision
:02:33. > :02:42.The bill before us is a procedural part of that withdrawal process.
:02:43. > :02:44.I welcome the constructive tone we have heard from the Opposition
:02:45. > :02:47.that they will not seek to frustrate this process while of course
:02:48. > :02:51.undertaking the scrutiny role we are here to perform.
:02:52. > :02:56.Last June the 23rd this country held a historic referendum
:02:57. > :02:58.with a straightforward direct question, should the UK remain
:02:59. > :03:02.a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?
:03:03. > :03:08.It required a straightforward direct answer, a single cross in either
:03:09. > :03:18.The result of that referendum, although hardly overwhelming,
:03:19. > :03:22.was clear in favour of leaving the EU, but although that question
:03:23. > :03:25.was simple and straightforward the simplicity ended there.
:03:26. > :03:27.For those charged with implementing the decision it
:03:28. > :03:35.None of us know what Brexit will look like and that has created
:03:36. > :03:41.and fuelled uncertainty for business, for universities,
:03:42. > :03:44.for science, for environmentalists, and worrying for both EU citizens
:03:45. > :03:47.living and working in the UK and UK citizens living and working
:03:48. > :03:54.And it has become obvious that no thought had been given
:03:55. > :03:58.to our citizens in Gibraltar or the implications
:03:59. > :04:01.for Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement.
:04:02. > :04:04.But the Liberal Democrat Leader in the Lords said the idea
:04:05. > :04:06.the second chamber should nod the bill through without amending
:04:07. > :04:16.of opinion in this House which is seeking to prevent
:04:17. > :04:19.the passage of this bill but there is a world of difference
:04:20. > :04:25.between blocking the bill and seeking to amend it.
:04:26. > :04:28.So, my Lords, if we clearly have the power to amend the bill,
:04:29. > :04:39.Brexit is the most important single issue which has faced
:04:40. > :04:46.For many of us the approach being adopted by the Government
:04:47. > :04:54.There was a resounding majority in support of the bill
:04:55. > :04:58.in the Other Place, so however much I and the many, many others who have
:04:59. > :05:01.been writing to us during the past few days might have wished that it
:05:02. > :05:06.were otherwise I am convinced that there is no turning back.
:05:07. > :05:10.As it is, I confess to a keen desire to get on with the Article 50
:05:11. > :05:18.It has been made clear to us many times, particularly
:05:19. > :05:21.by the noble lord the Minister, that the government will not
:05:22. > :05:24.reveal its hand until notification is given and the process
:05:25. > :05:34.My Lords, I'm speaking only for myself, as I must do from
:05:35. > :05:36.this position on these benches, where all others speak
:05:37. > :05:38.for themselves, when I say that I find this acutely frustrating.
:05:39. > :05:42.Do we really want to remain in the EU for the next two years?
:05:43. > :05:47.Even the poor old International Monetary Fund, which gets
:05:48. > :05:56.practically every forecast wrong, but maybe not this time, says
:05:57. > :05:59.Greece's debts are on an explosive path and the IMF appears unwilling
:06:00. > :06:06.Professor Otmar Issing, the ECB first chief economist,
:06:07. > :06:09.said recently, "The ECB is becoming dangerously
:06:10. > :06:13.overextended and one day the house of cards will collapse."
:06:14. > :06:17.The Government has lost its sense of perspective in this matter.
:06:18. > :06:20.The Prime Minister is terrified of looking less than full hearted
:06:21. > :06:26.Debate is discouraged in case it gives the impression
:06:27. > :06:39.Critics are attacked in case their arguments catch on.
:06:40. > :06:42.As is well-known, I was a Remainer, not, I might say,
:06:43. > :06:45.because of my pension rights but because I am a patriot.
:06:46. > :06:57.With the sound of an anti-Trump protest on the streets
:06:58. > :06:59.of Westminster echoing through the walls, MPs settled down
:07:00. > :07:01.to debate petition number 178844 - President Trump's state visit
:07:02. > :07:06.More than 1.8 million people had signed it.
:07:07. > :07:08.A counter-petition supporting the visit had mustered
:07:09. > :07:17.And for three hours MPs argued the issue.
:07:18. > :07:27.Only two Presidents of the US have been granted a state visit since
:07:28. > :07:35.1952. It is extraordinary but here we have a position where seven days
:07:36. > :07:37.into his presidency he is invited to have a full state visit,
:07:38. > :07:43.extraordinary. Completely unprecedented. The fact is that
:07:44. > :07:49.there were 61 million people who voted for Donald Trump and when we
:07:50. > :07:52.stand up in this country and then condemn him for being racist, and I
:07:53. > :07:59.have seen no evidence of that, I have seen no evidence of him being
:08:00. > :08:04.racist, or that they attack him in an unseemly way they are actually
:08:05. > :08:09.attacking the American people. There are many African-Americans in
:08:10. > :08:17.America sitting at high in fear. They are concerned about the
:08:18. > :08:20.president, who has had the support of the Ku Klux Klan. They are
:08:21. > :08:28.concerned about the president, who has welcomed white supremacists, it
:08:29. > :08:40.is a term which we almost hoped would fall into history, into his
:08:41. > :08:47.close in a circle. It is to my mind foolish to allow our personal views
:08:48. > :08:51.and assessments of an individual and some of their more grotesque
:08:52. > :08:59.characteristics and behaviour to blur what is in Britain's national
:09:00. > :09:03.interests. What I believe is Britain's national interest is to
:09:04. > :09:08.continue that special relationship. Listen carefully and you hear the
:09:09. > :09:11.thousands of people outside right now outside this House saying they
:09:12. > :09:18.do not want Donald Trump to be coming into this country on a royal
:09:19. > :09:22.state visit. We have a duty to listen to these people, to give them
:09:23. > :09:28.a voice, and if people from the Trump administration are listening
:09:29. > :09:32.this is not fake news. This is a special moment for the special
:09:33. > :09:37.relationship. Mr Turner, the visit should happen, the visit will
:09:38. > :09:40.happen, and when it does I trust that the UK will extend a polite and
:09:41. > :09:46.generous welcome to President Arnold Trump. -- Donald.
:09:47. > :09:48.Concerns about assessments for people with limited mobility
:09:49. > :09:52.have been raised at Work and Pensions questions.
:09:53. > :09:54.The Government's promised to look into individual cases
:09:55. > :09:56.and has promised to streamline the appeals process.
:09:57. > :09:57.Separately, ministers promised support to help people
:09:58. > :09:59.with mental-health issues and learning disabilities
:10:00. > :10:02.May I ask the Secretary of State to be personally
:10:03. > :10:07.A victim of a house fire when she was 12 weeks
:10:08. > :10:16.In the migration from DLA to PIP she could not open the envelope
:10:17. > :10:21.On the 1st of February, all her benefits ceased.
:10:22. > :10:23.On the 10th of February her Motability
:10:24. > :10:36.Obviously, if the honourable lady wishes to contact me directly
:10:37. > :10:40.and urgently about this case, we will take it up.
:10:41. > :10:44.Yet again one of my constituents has been to see me about a PIP
:10:45. > :10:46.assessment that has led to her Motability vehicle being
:10:47. > :10:54.She is currently appealing and I have written to the Minister
:10:55. > :10:58.about the case, but what reassurance can she give me and my constituents
:10:59. > :11:00.that this vehicle that she needs will be returned to her?
:11:01. > :11:04.Well, I would first of all point out that there are 70,000 more people
:11:05. > :11:09.in receipt of Motability and making use of that scheme than there
:11:10. > :11:12.were in 2010, but she will know that there are improvements
:11:13. > :11:15.that we want to make to the Motability scheme.
:11:16. > :11:23.We have been working very closely with that independent organisation.
:11:24. > :11:26.We are now attending their board meetings and are able to work much
:11:27. > :11:29.more strategically and I have spoken at length so I won't repeat it,
:11:30. > :11:35.Mr Speaker, but those areas where we wish to see better customer
:11:36. > :11:37.service and we hope to bring forward some announcements shortly.
:11:38. > :11:40.Does she agree that local voluntary groups such as the Talk It
:11:41. > :11:43.Out mental-health group in my constituency do invaluable
:11:44. > :11:48.work helping people to be work-ready and we must do more to support them?
:11:49. > :11:51.I do agree with my honourable friend that voluntary organisations have
:11:52. > :11:55.huge insight and expertise that we can tap into and commend
:11:56. > :11:59.the work of Talk It Out in his constituency.
:12:00. > :12:02.This is one reason why we are recruiting 200 community
:12:03. > :12:05.partners across the Jobcentre Plus network so we can ensure
:12:06. > :12:07.we are reaching all of those organisations and benefiting
:12:08. > :12:13.from the huge experience and wisdom they have.
:12:14. > :12:16.Can the Minister say what consideration has been given
:12:17. > :12:20.to providing tax breaks to employers who hire employees with a certified
:12:21. > :12:22.mental-health illness, as proposed by the National Autistic
:12:23. > :12:31.The honourable gentleman has hit on a theme of the green paper.
:12:32. > :12:35.There is much work going on in this area, both for those with mental
:12:36. > :12:40.illness but also those with a learning disability.
:12:41. > :12:42.Just to mention one health trial, there is a trial going
:12:43. > :12:44.on at the moment looking at discounting business rates
:12:45. > :12:49.for employers that have good mental-health practice.
:12:50. > :12:51.You're watching Monday In Parliament.
:12:52. > :12:54.Still to come: the head of Volkswagen in the UK says there's
:12:55. > :12:57.no need for compensation for drivers who bought a car with greater
:12:58. > :13:04.The Business Secretary has promised an "unbounded commitment"
:13:05. > :13:10.The French group PSA, which owns Peugeot and Citroen,
:13:11. > :13:13.is in talks to buy the European arms of General Motors,
:13:14. > :13:19.Greg Clark said the UK car industry was a "beacon of success" and known
:13:20. > :13:26.But MPs asked what effect Brexit and the UK's less rigorous employee
:13:27. > :13:28.protection would have on the future of Vauxhall production.
:13:29. > :13:41.Vauxhall is one of our oldest and most valued motor manufacturers.
:13:42. > :13:44.It has been making cars in Britain for 113
:13:45. > :13:47.years and has been owned for the last 92 years
:13:48. > :13:51.There are over 45,000 people employed directly by
:13:52. > :13:53.GM or in Vauxhall's retail or supply chain in this country.
:13:54. > :13:55.Last Tuesday, news emerged that GM are in
:13:56. > :13:57.discussions with the French company PSA about the
:13:58. > :14:01.I spoke to be president of GM that afternoon and
:14:02. > :14:04.communicated the importance we attach to Vauxhall's presence in the
:14:05. > :14:13.The plant at Ellesmere Port in Luton benefit from its
:14:14. > :14:16.dedicated and highly skilled staff who and are among the most efficient
:14:17. > :14:20.If this takeover does go ahead, we need to get the message
:14:21. > :14:23.out that risking the closure would be a retrograde step, not just from
:14:24. > :14:32.the UK economy but also for the new owners.
:14:33. > :14:34.Will the Secretary of State confirm that he will use all the
:14:35. > :14:37.tools in his disposal to protect jobs at Vauxhall.
:14:38. > :14:40.This is a worrying time for everyone affected but it is not a new
:14:41. > :14:46.There have been threats to the plant in the past.
:14:47. > :14:48.They have been seen off by industry collaborations
:14:49. > :14:49.between unions, management and
:14:50. > :14:54.Can the Secretary of State confirm he will work closely with everybody
:14:55. > :14:57.Every part of Britain has a stake in Vauxhall.
:14:58. > :14:59.I completely agree with him that we will do
:15:00. > :15:02.everything that we can and
:15:03. > :15:07.it is my personal commitment will be unbounded to make sure the future,
:15:08. > :15:10.building on the success of the plant in his constituency, of the
:15:11. > :15:16.I am grateful for his support for that.
:15:17. > :15:27.I will of course work with all the groups, including
:15:28. > :15:30.the trade unions, including the workforce, to make that case,
:15:31. > :15:34.Vauxhall has been a huge name in Bedfordshire for over a
:15:35. > :15:36.century and that tradition continues with IBC plant in Luton,
:15:37. > :15:41.Whilst I want to see the Secretary of State do everything he can
:15:42. > :15:45.to secure those jobs, can he say a bit about the pensioners in this
:15:46. > :15:47.country, many of whom are in my constituency?
:15:48. > :15:49.They will be worried for the future of their pensions.
:15:50. > :15:52.Can he say something on that issue as well as the jobs?
:15:53. > :15:56.I am grateful to my honourable friend.
:15:57. > :15:58.Of course, in any prospective take over, the
:15:59. > :16:01.continued welfare of pensioners is of great importance.
:16:02. > :16:06.I mentioned how important that would be in my
:16:07. > :16:09.discussions both with GM and with PSA.
:16:10. > :16:18.Both organisations are well aware of the importance that I,
:16:19. > :16:20.as well as my honourable friend, attach.
:16:21. > :16:22.I do not think we can ignore the impact that
:16:23. > :16:26.Brexit may have in this going forward.
:16:27. > :16:29.If it is a direct competition between a German plant and a
:16:30. > :16:32.UK plant, regardless of the undoubted strength of the UK plant,
:16:33. > :16:37.when they have 75% of their components and 80% of their exports
:16:38. > :16:39.going to the single market, they will be at a disadvantage
:16:40. > :16:44.Can I take this opportunity to ask the Secretary of
:16:45. > :16:46.State, given he has said he will do everything
:16:47. > :16:49.he can at all times, to rule out the hard Brexit
:16:50. > :16:52.that is being proposed, reassess We can leave the EU but we do not
:16:53. > :16:59.have to leave the single market and doing so will protect
:17:00. > :17:02.employees at Vauxhall and right We are all, as local MPs,
:17:03. > :17:05.justifiably proud of the work that they have done
:17:06. > :17:07.which has kept this for our efficiency and productivity
:17:08. > :17:23.in the Ellesmere Port plant. But given that it is much
:17:24. > :17:27.cheaper effectively to get rid of British workers
:17:28. > :17:30.because of the nature of the employment rights in
:17:31. > :17:31.this country compared to France and Germany,
:17:32. > :17:36.what can he do to ensure that when it
:17:37. > :17:41.comes to potential cost-cutting that equation is evened up,
:17:42. > :17:43.so we can support British The concern will be that this
:17:44. > :17:49.issue of this important company's future in Britain will
:17:50. > :17:51.become collateral damage in wider negotiations and deals
:17:52. > :17:54.regarding Brexit. In the face of elections in France
:17:55. > :17:58.and Germany this year, does he think that nations will have
:17:59. > :18:01.to engage in an ever rising bidding If so, what will he do
:18:02. > :18:08.for British manufacturing? If I was on the board
:18:09. > :18:12.of directors and had a very successful vehicle
:18:13. > :18:15.manufacturing outlet in the fifth biggest
:18:16. > :18:18.economy in the world, and that economy was about to leave
:18:19. > :18:22.the EU, I think I would want to invest more in that facility
:18:23. > :18:25.and make sure that I do not put In the Commons, the Government
:18:26. > :18:32.accepted limits on the number of properties and land that could be
:18:33. > :18:35.compulsorily purchased to make way A House of Lords Committee had
:18:36. > :18:42.recommended that powers be restricted to what's needed
:18:43. > :18:45.for the project - rather than the wider development
:18:46. > :18:48.and regeneration opportunities. The Transport Minister,
:18:49. > :18:50.Andrew Jones, said the powers had been intended as a "backstop"
:18:51. > :18:55.if commercial negotiations failed. However, the Lords felt that
:18:56. > :18:57.given the broad nature of the powers, and the
:18:58. > :18:59.fact that local authorities had similar
:19:00. > :19:01.powers, it was unnecessary for
:19:02. > :19:02.the Government The Government accepts this
:19:03. > :19:07.ruling and will continue to work with local
:19:08. > :19:09.authorities to ensure that opportunities for regeneration
:19:10. > :19:11.arising from phase one If there is then disagreement,
:19:12. > :19:18.these powers would therefore give the Department for Transport
:19:19. > :19:21.the power to do this by fear - to override the local
:19:22. > :19:23.authority or local resident's Well, it certainly does give
:19:24. > :19:40.the power to the Secretary of State, if required,
:19:41. > :19:45.to make TROs himself that hinder the delivery
:19:46. > :19:48.of the railway. I think an answer to the honourable
:19:49. > :19:50.gentleman's question We cannot have a position
:19:51. > :20:00.with a significant national project could be held up over
:20:01. > :20:02.a small matter of TROs. The best thing to do
:20:03. > :20:05.is to work with the highways These are some back stop powers
:20:06. > :20:09.is just in case that does The government decision was welcomed
:20:10. > :20:13.by a former Conservative cabinet minister and opponent of the HS2
:20:14. > :20:15.scheme, Cheryl Gillan. Such a sweeping power would have
:20:16. > :20:17.been adding insult to injury with the plundering of
:20:18. > :20:20.property that has resulted from this project, which is as ravenous
:20:21. > :20:23.for land as it is taxpayers money. If we had not had this
:20:24. > :20:26.amendment accepted, the Government would have been able
:20:27. > :20:29.to buy up land for a lucrative developments, virtually
:20:30. > :20:30.without control. However, I still have
:20:31. > :20:37.constituents with They believe that HS2 one has
:20:38. > :20:48.to give 28 days notice to enter and do what they like to
:20:49. > :20:51.the land and pay no compensation until the job is finished,
:20:52. > :20:53.which they believe could be MPs accepted the changes made
:20:54. > :20:57.by the Lords to the HS2 Bill It will give ministers the ability
:20:58. > :21:02.to begin work on the line This first phase of
:21:03. > :21:05.the ?56 billion scheme, which will eventually run
:21:06. > :21:07.to Manchester, is expected The head of Volkswagen in the UK
:21:08. > :21:16.has told MPs there are no grounds for paying compensation
:21:17. > :21:18.to the 1.2 million British drivers affected by the scandal
:21:19. > :21:20.over emissions tests In 2015, the German car giant
:21:21. > :21:30.was found to have installed a "defeat device" or software
:21:31. > :21:34.designed to foil emissions tests in the United States,
:21:35. > :21:37.and as a result has paid out The scandal also spread
:21:38. > :21:43.to Europe and elsewhere, with millions of cars being recalled
:21:44. > :21:45.for remedial measures the group's UK Managing Director,
:21:46. > :21:53.appeared before the Commons Transport Committee,
:21:54. > :21:55.he insisted in answer to questioning from a Labour MP that
:21:56. > :21:57.compensation for British drivers My position on compensation
:21:58. > :22:10.is absolutely consistent and clear. You cannot compare the situation in
:22:11. > :22:13.Europe to what you are referring to. I think you are referring
:22:14. > :22:20.to the United States. For example, after the technical
:22:21. > :22:28.fixes, there is no change to the vehicles in terms
:22:29. > :22:32.of fuel consumption. There is no change in
:22:33. > :22:35.terms of the criteria. The vehicles are more
:22:36. > :22:36.or less where they Indeed, one of the discussion points
:22:37. > :22:45.we have had previously is any effect From all the data that
:22:46. > :22:54.I analyse, and all the data that I see from the people who are
:22:55. > :22:57.experts and independent on residual values, there is no
:22:58. > :22:59.evidence that there has been any degradation
:23:00. > :23:00.in What I come back to
:23:01. > :23:06.is there is no loss. Compensation is a legal
:23:07. > :23:09.question in the end and therefore there is no legal
:23:10. > :23:11.basis for compensation. But what about those drivers who'd
:23:12. > :23:17.been misled on the levels of nitrogen oxide being emitted
:23:18. > :23:20.by the vehicles? Mr Efford wanted to know
:23:21. > :23:22.weren't they entitled Have you made an assessment
:23:23. > :23:32.of how much Volkswagen have benefited from selling vehicles
:23:33. > :23:36.on the basis of people making decisions on falsified
:23:37. > :23:38.emissions information? Our position is that we did not
:23:39. > :23:41.falsify any information at all. We never sold cars on the basis
:23:42. > :23:44.of nitrogen oxide levels. There is no falsification
:23:45. > :23:45.whatsoever. So as a result of the actions
:23:46. > :24:04.by people yet to be identified in Volkswagen, nobody was misled over
:24:05. > :24:06.emissions from your vehicles? In Europe, our position
:24:07. > :24:08.is that no one has been misled over
:24:09. > :24:10.emissions in Europe. The customers that
:24:11. > :24:13.bought your vehicles based on the information
:24:14. > :24:16.you were supplying, that we now know was incorrect for whatever reason,
:24:17. > :24:18.you do not feel any responsibility to them
:24:19. > :24:22.to compensate them in any way? You bear no responsibility
:24:23. > :24:27.to those customers at all? Well, first of all I have a great
:24:28. > :24:32.responsibility to our customers because without responsibility
:24:33. > :24:35.to our customers, we do not have a I come back and say
:24:36. > :24:39.to you we have a very important responsibility to our customers
:24:40. > :24:42.and that is why we are working so hard to apply the technical
:24:43. > :24:44.fixes, and that is why I have
:24:45. > :24:47.explained to the committee You came before us again and you're
:24:48. > :24:55.opening gambit, the first thing you came and told us in 2015 was how
:24:56. > :24:58.sorry you were, how awful it Today, you are sit in front of us
:24:59. > :25:05.and you have done nothing wrong. I am sorry for any ambiguity or any
:25:06. > :25:08.confusion that I have cost the You're sorry you have
:25:09. > :25:12.been made to look daft. You are sorry that
:25:13. > :25:19.you have been in a situation where Volkswagen was
:25:20. > :25:21.caught red-handed doing things that I'm afraid, Mr Menzies,
:25:22. > :25:37.I have to refute He then went on to describe Mr
:25:38. > :25:39.Willis as an incredible witness. The chairperson told the boss that he
:25:40. > :25:40.was free to go. Kristiina Cooper's here
:25:41. > :25:46.for the rest of the week.