26/02/2018 Monday in Parliament

Hello and welcome to the programme.

Coming up.

One MP makes a moving plea

for the Government here to do more

for the Syrian people.

This should not be strewn in the

rubble. Those bodies should be piled

up in this chamber.

The

bodies should be

piled up in this chamber.

Lords

hear about the worsening obesity

crisis among children.

And one MP describes hate

crime against Sikhs.

Someone consumed with so much hatred

try to remove the turban to one of

my Sikh just shouting Muslims go

home!

The Russian President has ordered

a daily five-hour pause

in the Syrian government's assault

on the rebel-held area

of Eastern Ghouta.

At the weekend, a UN

Security Council resolution

was passed demanding that

"all parties cease hostilities

without delay for at least 30

consecutive days" to allow

humanitarian aid deliveries

and medical evacuations

of critically ill people.

In an urgent question

to the Foreign Secretary,

a Labour MP did his best

to concentrate minds.

The men and women of that place who

like him pieces deliberately

targeted. The dead children whose

faces are altered by the chlorine

gas that killed them. Mr Speaker,

this should not be strewn in the

rubble of Syria. Those bodies should

be piled up in this chamber and laid

at the feet of government of every

single nation which continues to

shred in the face of this horror.

John Woodcock wondered how effective

the UN's call for a ceasefire

could be because Russia was one

of its members and Russia backed

the regime of President Assad.

The security council is broken when

one of its permanent members

Florence... The service of order it

was... To uphold. Tobique into

inaction by this graduated body, is

greater violation than seeking to

act even without its agent.

There

was no military solution that we can

impose. I think it is now essential

that the Russians recognise that

just because the president of Syria

is in possession of half the

territory of Syria,, that does not

mean he has come. He has come

nowhere near a complete military

victory. I don't thing is within his

grasp.

When Assad continues. Are we just

got a lots of our say enough.

I

always believe such questions are

posed in this House, there is very

often a Marshall, most of the sent

from benches on both sides. -- I

share that sentiment, I would like

to see us in a position to do

something. Not allowed the use of

chemical weapons to grunt,

unpunished. I just remind the House

of what happened in 2013 would it

have that choice, we have that

option and we fail to take it. Let

us not have the people of Syria.

Again.

What I shared that it is the

key of some members of this House

that this can only be solved an

invention of the rest. I think it

would only deepen the well.

Ultimately we can only and this

dreadful conflict and suffering of

the Syrian people through genuine

peace talks.

The Russian defence

Minister that starting tomorrow

there will be it daily humanitarian

pause. Does the foreign secretary

agree with me and that limiting the

bombing to 19 hours a day as opposed

to 24 is going to be as comfort to

resident of hell on earth as was

described. ... To make sure that

Russia abides by the terms. Because,

isn't the reason we are having this

discussion today, because in the

past the word of the West fail to

have any impact?

It is absurd for

the Russians to say the Otonabee

does this thing for a number of

hours a day. There needs to be a

complete cease-fire. There has to be

an end to the carnage. Russia has to

be held to account. The Russians

responsible for this will eventually

be held to account.

Boris Johnson.

The Foreign Secretary

said he also regretted

The boss of the company running

trains between London and Edinburgh

has blamed "political uncertainty"

for the premature

end of its contract.

The head of Stagecoach told

the Public Accounts Committee

that the loss of the East Coast

franchise would cost his

company £200 million.

Stagecoach will lose

its franchise within months.

The Government says it

got its numbers wrong.

MPs wanted to know why.

In the last few years, UK growth

economy has collapsed. It is into

the will to do list -- like

political stability, attacks such as

the fundamentalist that we are all

aware of.

Hottest political

uncertainties stop someone from

going on -- like getting on a train

and going somewhere?

Will Wood but

for this franchise and a buddy 's

first saw two referendums, when in

Scotland, the Brexit referendum,

another general election.

The we are

in a very different place. It is a

baffling excuse, think of the

subject referendums stop people from

travelling it is part of the

experience. How exactly is a fairly

irrelevant to what we are

discussing.

When did you know that

this was a problem. Hydrogen monitor

this contact, had this content was

going in that unit and get a result

you wanted hydrogen monitor -- I

knew about this a few weeks after we

got them. After you got the

contactless Mac I knew we had a

problem. How about you internal I

think I've been an incredible job

Delays in track improvement works

have been blamed for problems.

blamed for problems.

Virgin said its franchise bid

was based on promised

track improvements.

what has happened since.

The

enhancements have been delayed.

Working with Networld -- Mr haven't

long have Eurotunnel rail industry?

Have you ever done of the project

delivered on time?

Actually take

some of the work that network have

been doing on some of it has been

delivered on time and some that

haven't.

But you must acknowledge

that there is a high percentage that

is not delivered on time.

Then it got personal.

Did you get a bonus payment is your?

I do not decide my bonus. I would've

expected to take a bonus this year.

So if you are offered a bonus, would

you refuse you would refuse a? Would

you give it back if you offered a

bonus?

I would in this case.

Meg Hillier said that was

a small heartening point

in what was not a good example

of railway management.

You're watching Monday in Parliament

with me, Mandy Baker.

MPs have called on the Government

to increase defence spending

amid warnings of a growing

threat from Russia.

The demands come as Ministers

are conducting a defence review due

to be completed in July.

There was concern on both

sides of the Commons

about the current level of spending.

The head of the Army has warned that

Britain's ability to respond

to military threats from Russia

would be "eroded" without

further investment.

We are falling short. The Government

simply has to commit to spending

more if we are going to have the

Armed Forces this country requires.

In order to maintain our

independence, not just our

sovereignty but our freedom of

action in our ability to make our

own decisions. Rather than be taken

by circumstances, we need to be

highly trained, fully mapped and

well-equipped armed forces. For

trading island nation, at a cost for

Brexit, and turning her face to the

well, Great Britain must turn...

None of us want our army to be

damaged. We all know our personnel

when fully trained and well

committed can be some of the best in

the world. Something we shared with

our Nato alliance. We are getting

weaker and that is unacceptable.

If

during the Cold War, if we spent 5%

of GDP. If we had to do it again, we

are certainly not able to do so. Our

allies also need to make greater

contribution as well. If we to

maintain an independent nuclear

deterrent. And build-up are where

reserves, we are obviously going to

have to spend something closer to 3%

of defence rather than two.

There is

no disguising the fact that this

country is not spending enough on

defence and security of the realm.

That's the final two as finality of

it. That's the truth. My advice to

the defence Minister is to actually

use, I'll say it again, at the

defence secretary to use the power

and because of this Parliament to go

to the Prime Minister and tell the

prime Minister that we the L --

elected representatives do not think

that by and large we are spending

enough on the security of the

country.

What I like best on what I

look to in this debate is the magic

formula, of Dutch bank -- when we

are spending a fraction of what we

used to spend in terms of percentage

of GDP when confronted with threats

such as represented today, and

saying that everything is fine and

we are on course. We are not on

course, we need to change course and

the direction we have to go is for a

significant uplift to 3% of GDP to

be spent on the defence of the

United Kingdom.

We should be careful

not to rest on our laurels. We

should look at the Sun is an

absolute minimum. It is a start, not

an end point. The world is

constantly changing both politically

and technologically. It is crucial

that we are -- our army is funded

sufficiently. To protect this

country it also possesses.

There is

a fundamental problem in the way

this Parliament, this government,

has decided to go on defence. Even

if the solution we are thinking of

is not a perfect solution, something

has to give. Because this is simply

not sustainable.

As I had said

before that will disappear from

across the House of this resulted in

proper investment in our Armed

Forces. But it will be deep disquiet

if the review results in yet of the

kind that have been widely believed

in the press in recent months.

The

message has to be highly clear. If

you want to continue playing a

crucial role on the international

stage, ever want to provide critical

security that Perspex that will to

remain want to remain a leading

contributor in the against

extremism, we cannot continue to

invest on a budget of 2%, 2% is just

not enough. So this is a question.

Madam Deputy Speaker. Not just this

government, not just of

parliamentarians, before Britain.

What status, what will we aspire to

play as we seek to trade more

widely, in a world that is becoming

more dangerous?

A Labour MP has complained that

plans to confront hate crime

don't adequately consider

offences against Sikhs.

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi described

a racist incident that took place

outside Parliament last week.

I was disgusted on Wednesday night

when someone consumed with so much

hatred tried to pull off the turbine

of one of my seat guests as he

queued up just outside our apartment

buildings and shouted, Muslim, go

back home. Mr Speaker, it has been

brought to the Government attention

that previous occasions that the

hate crime action plan to properly

record and monitor hate crimes

completely ignores the Sikhs. The

Sikhs regard the turbine as a crown

on their heads. When you yourself

presided over the launch of the

national Sikh war Memorial campaign

for which I am extremely grateful,

you would have ascertained the

strength of feeling in the community

to have a statute of turbaned Sikh

soldiers and our capital because

more than 80,000 turbaned

individuals die for the freedom of

this country, our country. Given

this considerable context, when

given your advice, perhaps you would

be kind enough to impress upon the

House authorities and the police to

take this matter very seriously. And

to bring the assailant to justice.

The Speaker said the incident

was truly appalling and the police

were investigating.

He said he would write

to the victim to express

the regret of the whole House.

UK millennials are on track to be

the most overweight generation

since records began,

health experts say.

Based on population trends,

more than seven in every ten people

born between the early 1980s

and mid-90s will be too fat

by the time they reach middle age.

In comparison, about half

of the "baby boomer"

generation, born just

after the Second World War,

were fat at that age.

Five-year-olds are now eating their

own in sugar every year. Obesity is

the second largest cause of cancer

and it reduces life expectancy of

210 years. So what is needed is not

voluntary action that will come back

-- that will combat the epidemic the

country is facing, but what is

needed is a mandatory referral

religion targets for the reduction

of added sugar, fat, and carries

across all products as well as

common-sense policies directed at

early years which includes or raw

health initiatives. So can the

Minister confirm that there will be

a more robust, mandatory element in

future stages of the national

obesity strategy?

The noble lady is

quite right to highlight this issue.

We sell more research and not just

the prevalence of obesity among

younger people but the catastrophic

young -- health risks that come from

that. When you look at the actions

that were in the open sea plan, the

production of sugar by tuque -- by

20% by 2020 with 5% interim target

and the sugar, that led to serious

action. The 2% of the tricks that

otherwise had been captured have

never deuced the formulation. But we

will see in the spring is evidence

of whether has had the divine -- a

side effect. We're leaving all

options open if it requires Cybele

Summit agreed that it would be good

to reintroduce the massive size and

all schools so that people can have

a better mechanism for action

preparing higher-quality foods than

fast foods.

Then the assured that

the noble lord does did the SGA in

clued elements around nutrition and

healthy eating. And many schools do

offer the classes he talks about.

The Health Minister.

Labour has demanded extra funding

and resources for the Fire Service.

The call came as MPs paid tribute

to the members of the emergency

services dealing with the aftermath

of an explosion in

a shop in Leicester.

The cause of the blast isn't known

but it's not thought

to be terrorist-related.

The Home Secretary updated the

Commons on the latest information.

Five people are now confirmed to

have died in an explosion at a shop

last night on Hinckley Road. Five

others the Germain in hospital, one

with serious injuries. And my thanks

to the fire crews for continuing to

search for survivors and the

hospital staff who are working

tirelessly to save lives. I know I

speak for all of us when our

thoughts are with the family of the

friends as well as those of an

injured.

The number of fire versus

cut by 11,000 since 2010, their

wages has seen real terms pay cut.

The current level of un-earmarked

reserves equates to just three weeks

operating costs at the same time as

deaths and fires have increased. I

would like to ask the Minister to

reconsider the levels of funding and

resourcing for our Fire Service.

Whilst there has been praised today

for our firefighters, when will the

Government paid in a fair wage for

the courageous work at the

courageous work they undertake,

when?

Firefighters go into burning

buildings to save lives, their

professional, compassionate heroes

their lives at risks to save our

families. In the Minister really

look every single one of them in the

eye tell them it's acceptable that

they have in real terms received a

pay cut?

The Government is

determined to make sure that

firefighters who do difficult

commentators work as we have seen

today in Leicester get their fair

pay for their work. It is also very

sure that over recent years they

have been asked to make sacrifices

as part of the contribution to

getting on top of the deficit we

inherited from the party opposite.

There is no disagreement over the

graves were to do, beside a grateful

and in Leicester as well. There are

active negotiations going on between

those are responsible which his

employer and employee. Central

government does not have a role in

that process unless we are called

then for additional support. She

talks about reserves and Labour

Party are in denial on this. The

fact is that the fire system that

claims to be short of cast -- -- as

increases in reserves by two and £88

million is 2011. You can only

increase by not using the money that

should have been given. Our request

to the Fire Services tell us what

you would do with the public's

money.

Nick Hurd.

Ore than 90,000 people have signed

an online petition calling

for Britain to ban the export

of live farm animals.

The Government is understood to be

considering ending the practise.

It will launch a consultation

in the spring.

Currently, live animal exports

from Britain and Europe

are controlled by an EU regulation.

A Labour MP said Brexit provided

the perfect opportunity

for a new law to make

the trade illegal.

Countless animals continue to endure

grueling journeys every year. In

2012, 40 sheep had to be euthanized

after being cramped into a truck.

Just last August it was reported

that 500 sheet sent for days without

any access to food or water while

being transported to Turkey. Many of

you will have seen today's story in

the times that more than 5000 deal

cause this year are discarded by the

dairy industry wanted 35 hour

journeys from Scotland to Spain.

But

as Mr Wilson make this one of the

first great steps as Britain takes

back control from the European

Union. Because as Gandhi once said,

the greatness of a nation and its

moral progress can be judged by the

way its animals are treated.

We

should not be banding live exports

because if we do that, we will lose

control through the Irish border and

potentially the animals that we are

seeking to improve the welfare of,

well end up travelling from so

island to Spain or France, and

journeys considerably longer than

they need to be. What we need to do

is to improve the standards of

transport within the United Kingdom.

And then when they arrive in cant

ready to cross the channel, they

must be properly veterinary

inspectors.

It would be great if

this is all happening with an

improvement in the quality of

inspection and the quality of

prosecution where necessary. But

sadly, there have been major cuts in

this area.

The Government would

prefer to see animals for slaughter

to the point of production. As a

trade in meat on the hook as alba

member pointed out, is preferable to

trade based on the transports of

live animals. But the Government is

committed to improving the welfare

of all animals and shares both

British farmers and the British

public's high regard for animal

welfare.

If you're an England rugby fan,

you'll be all too aware that things

didn't go quite according to plan

in Saturday's Calcutta Cup.

One Scottish MP felt compelled

to bring the matter to the attention

of his English counterparts,

especially as his constituency

includes the Murrayfield Stadium.

But how to do it?

A point of order, Mr Iain Murray

Cybele thinking this is bigger.

There's a convention in the House

when a member permit visits on us is

consistent. Many merits a from

England

may has stayed

misstate and dying. I wonder if

there is a mechanism to find out who

they were so I could read to them?

To remind them... To remind them...

To remind them not only to offer

convention, but maybe gloat about

the Calcutta success of Scotland?

The final score was

Scotland 25, England 13.

I have Welsh origins,

so I'm not saying anything.

And that's all we've got time for.

So from me, Mandy Baker,

for now, goodbye.