12/03/2018 Monday in Parliament

customs union and depends on access

in some form to the single market.

Hello and welcome to

Monday in Parliament.

Coming up on the programme,

The Prime Minister says it's highly

likely Russia is to blame

for the attempted murder of a former

russian spy and his daughter.

A military grade type of nerve agent

developed by Russia was used

in the attack in Salisbury.

It was an indiscriminate and

reckless act against the United

Kingdom, putting the lives of

innocent civilians at risk. And we

will not tolerate such a brazen

attempt to murder innocent civilians

on our soil.

A promise to stamp out

all kinds of bullying

in Westminster, after accusations

against the Speaker

and two other MPs.

I am more determined than ever that

we banish all kinds of harassment

and bullying from this place.

Because make no mistake, there is a

need for change.

And peers ask what's stopping

the Government approving

the medicinal use of cannabis.

Doctors are allowed to prescribe

heroin to addicts under certain

circumstances. So how does he square

that?

But first...

Theresa May was impatient for

justice as you said it was highly

likely that Russia was behind an

attempt to present a former spy and

his daughter.

She told the House a military grade

nerve agent was used on Sergei

and Yulia Skripal in the cathedral

city of Salisbury.

They remain in a critical

condition in hospital.

Russia's ambassador has been

summoned to the Foreign Office

to provide an explanation.

The Prime Minister said if Russia

didn't provide a "credible response"

by the end of Tuesday,

the UK would conclude there had been

an "unlawful use of force".

an "unlawful use of force".

It is now clear that Sergei Skripal

his daughter were poisoned by

high-grade military agent by Russia.

Based on the positive identification

of this chemical agent by world

leading experts at the defence,

science and technology laboratory,

our knowledge that Russia has

previously produced this agent and

would still be capable of doing so,

Russia Posner record of conducting

state-sponsored assassinations, and

our assessment that Russia views

some of the vectors as legitimate

targets for assassination, the

Government has concluded it is high

likely that Russia was responsible

for the act against Sergei Skripal

and his daughter.

She added that there

were only two plausible

explanations for what happened.

I did this was a direct act by the

Russian state against our country or

the Government lost control of its

potentially catastrophically

damaging nerve agent and allowed it

to get into the hands of others.

This afternoon, my right honourable

friend, the Foreign Secretary, has

summoned the Russian ambassador to

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

and asked him to explain which of

these two possibilities it is.

She went on to say this

came against a backdrop

of a well established pattern

of Russian state aggression.

And that the Government was ready

to take more extensive measures.

Mr Speaker, on Wednesday, consider

in detail response in the Russian

state. Should there be no credible

response, we will conclude that this

action amounts to an unlawful use of

force by the Russian estate against

the United Kingdom. And I will come

back to this House and set out a

full range of measures that we will

take in response.

Jeremy Corbyn called it

a deeply alarming attack

and paid tribute to the police

officer who fell ill after attending

to Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

He remains seriously

ill in hospital.

The investigation into the shocking

events in Salisbury must reach its

conclusions. See both the evidence

and a full account from the Russian

authorities in light of emerging

evidence the Prime Minister has just

referred to. We need to continue

seeking a robust dialogue would rush

up on all the issues currently

dividing our country, both domestic

and international. Rather than

simply cutting off contact and

leading the tensions and divisions

get worse and potentially even more

dangerous. We're all familiar with

the weight use your fortunes often

acquired in the most dubious

circumstances in Russia sometimes

that it criminal elements have ended

up sheltering in London and trying

to buy political influence in the

British party politics. Meddling in

elections as the Prime Minister put

it, there has been over £100,000

worth of the Conservative Party from

a Russian oligarchs and their

associates. -- £800,000.

I will say

two things to them. Personal, as the

Chancellor of the attackers did at

the weekend, you should not harm who

lives in this country of Russian

extraction with the same brush, and

secondly, there are rules on a party

political donations and I can assure

him that my party and I hope all

parties followed those rules.

There were then calls for party

politics to put aside to support

the government's action.

May I commend my right honourable

friend for rising to this occasion

it, as if she should, many in his

house would wish the leader of the

evolution had abandoned party

politics and done just the same.

Those calls were also echoed

on the Labour benches.

There should be unity across the

House in terms of what I feel is a

proportionate and sensible approach

that she has taken to analysing what

is happening and coming back to

report at the House. And can I also

say there are circumstances, as if

she does come up take part in

political differences of opinion,

but when our country is potentially

under attack, that is just not

appropriate.

What he promised her

not agree what are the most

effective ways of punishing Russia

for these appalling activities would

be to seize the private property

assets of members of the Vladimir

Putin regime and their associates.

And as a first step, to sheep

arranged to publish a list of who

they are and what they own the?

The

Prime Minister made clear she was

aware of the financial system was

not exported.

It is clear the

Russians were retaliating. We have

to say resolutely and strongly, we

are not backing down. This is an act

of terrorism and all members of

Parliament should stand together.

Can I say to the honourable

gentleman, he is absolutely right.

When we take action, we must ensure

that its action will continue to

follow through.

The Kremlin has denied any

involvement in the incident

and released a statement saying

Theresa May's comments were a circus

show and "another information

and political campaign

based on provocation".

The Leader of the Commons says she's

recommending an independent inquiry

into allegations of bullying

of Parliamentary staff.

It comes after accusations

on the BBC's newsnight

about the Speaker John Bercow

and two other MPs.

All three deny the claims.

Answering an urgent question,

Andrea Leadsom said

she was committed to stamping out

all kinds of bullying

and harassment in Westminster.

The House commission next meets on

Monday the 19th of March, next

Monday. I have even noticed my

fellow members that I will be

recommending a short independently

led inquiry by the House commission

looking into allegations of systemic

bullying of Parliamentary staff. I

will propose that the inquiry should

hear from past and current staff

members about their experiences and

help to provide them with closure

wherever possible. I am more

determined than ever that we banish

all kinds of harassment and bullying

from this place, because make no

mistake, there is a need for change.

The House of Commons

commission is chaired

by the Speaker John Bercow,

leading the MP who'd put down

the urgent question to ask.

Will she acknowledged that the

positive work she has let the date

risks being undermined if it

intended to allow stations to be

determined by committee on which MPs

effectively hold all the power. Will

she agree the whole process,

including sanctions, must be handled

by an independent body?

An inquiry

led by the House commission cannot

be independent which is why my work

and the nation would be should be

independently into allegations of

bullying.

Is it appropriate for Mr

Speaker to remain in his place when

there are allegations against him,

which him is trying to suppress

using taxpayer-funded money through

sending out letters through speakers

counsel.

The Leader of the House.

I

think it is vital that all

colleagues joined together in

supporting the efforts being made by

this House to stamp out all bullying

and harassment wherever we see it.

This is all just part of the

normalisation of bullying and

harassment continues to poisoned our

politics. The grandeur and the

subservience to which we conduct our

roles as members of Parliament.

Paul Farrelley was named

in the Newsnight film.

He denies any wrongdoing and spoke

out the about the claims

that had been made.

I can assure you I have great

respect for all staff I work with

but I also was the guinea pig in

2012 after a difficult report for

the original respect policy. I was

delayed by selective leaking then,

six years ago, and it has happened

again now. So I would ask the Leader

of the House amp members before they

jump to judgement after what was a

very one-sided BBC broadcast that

they approach the case is being

raised in a more balanced wine and

they also consider the reasons why

the original respect policy was

scrapped in the first place and not

fit for purpose. But they also give

consideration to the disparities of

MPs who are complaint against

especially when complaints have been

backing of the resource form First

Division Association in particular.

And perhaps I might say for the

House to consider why his store:

allegations like this are being

recycled now and by whom because

whatever is at play, this is not a

game for petitions or families.

Paul Farrelley.

You're watching Monday

in Parliament with me, Lucy Grey.

After counter-terrorism police said

they were treating letters

encouraging people to take part

in a "Punish a Muslim" day as a hate

crime, MPs asked what the Government

was doing to tackle such crimes.

The letters were put

through people's letter boxes

in cities across England and Wales,

including Bradford, Leicester,

London, Cardiff and Sheffield.

They encouraged recipients to carry

out violent acts on a day in April.

The Home Office Minister said

the letters were part

of an ongoing investigation

so she couldn't

comment specifically.

But said they were being taken

extremely seriously.

The Government condemns the content

of these letters as clearly

unwarranted with no place in decent

society. This government takes hate

crime and photophobia extremely

seriously, and the UK has a robust

framework to respond to it.

A Labour MP gave more

details about the letters.

The letter calling for an attack on

Muslims on April three offer ten

points for verbal abuse, up 50

points for throwing acid, 1000

points for bombing a mosque, and

2500 points to nuke Mecca. Can I

remind the House that millions of

Muslims fought for us in the two

world wars? Including members of my

own family. Figures show the is

homophobia and hate crime has

increased by 40%. -- is photophobia.

1678 anti-Muslim hate crimes

reported in London just up to

January of this year. Can I has to

Minister if she can explain why no

Government Minister of the last

eight years has ever made a speech

on the right of Muslim hatred.

The

issue of anti-Muslim and far right

action is of course a focus for the

Government. The present strategy,

which tackles extremism does not

tackle him Muslim extremism in and

of itself, it tackles extremism. .

And it sadly, over a quarter of

referrals in the prevent strategy in

2015-2016 concerned a far right

activism. This tournament and in

particular this Prime Minister with

all the experience she brings to her

position following her experience in

the Home Office, all of this

experience is focused on tackling

extremism and a radicalisation, how

it affects any part of our

community, which is precisely why we

are refreshing the hate crime action

plan this year.

The Minister added that

the Government had committed more

than £3 million to protect places

of worship and support

victims of hate crimes.

The Labour chair of the home affairs

committee wanted to know

what the Home Office had done to get

social media companies to remove

illegal propaganda videos.

We know that the former

counterterror chief has warned of on

-- online medicalization of the rise

of far right extremism and our

select committee has heard in our

inquiry about the serious issues

around Islamophobia and hate crime.

She one know that we are allowing

social media companies to collude

with these far right extremists if

action is not taken to take this

kind of file, you little propaganda

down.

The Minister said the Government

was working with large technology

companies to ensure they remove

offensive material more quickly.

The International Trade Secretary

has criticised President Trump's

decision to impose tariffs

on imports of steel and aluminium

into the United States.

Liam Fox told MPs he would be

working with the European Union

to win an exemption from the tariffs

which he said had a "weak

foundation in law".

Labour accused Donald

Trump of "bullying"

and a "protection racket".

Mr Fox said the 25% duties

could harm US industries

as well as those in other countries.

That we do disagree with the US

decision to implement tariffs on

steel and aluminium imports based on

national security considerations.

These unilateral trade measures have

weak foundations and international

law, and they are not consistent

with the Department of defence own

judgement and an investigation that

was conducted on the basis of

national security. We are clear that

it is right to seek to defend our

domestic industries from the direct

and indirect impact of these US

tariffs, protecting jobs and

capacity. We will also any response

from the EU be measured and

proportionate, it is important that

the UK and EU response works within

the boundaries of the rule space

international trading system.

The

application of 25% tariff on steel

and 10% on aluminium imports and US

is unjust and unjustifiable! The

suggestion that such tariffs are

necessary under section 232 to

mitigate a threat to American

national security is patently false!

Petitioning for exemptions from them

is to act as if they have a

legitimacy. This is precisely the

trap that President Trump asset.

Negotiate with us and we will not

believe you further. And that part

of Glasgow where I grew up, it was

called a protection racket.

And 1992

House conservative government

decimating 1200 jobs and livelihoods

and it was the SNP government in

Scotland who brought those still

works and the aluminium back into

production. We are fed up in

Scotland of clearing up this

government's mess.

The free trade is

about being free to trade with and

the agreed rules, not about a

free-for-all. Can I strongly

encourage him to reiterate that

message both to the United States

and China?

I will be concerned that

the Government is putting all of his

hopes on exemption, I do for the UK

or European Union. There will still

be substantial knock on effects of

dumping on our shores by those

countries was to behave badly when

they are set out in the US. Ask the

Secretary of State then a assessment

of the knock on effects of further

global overcapacity as a result of

these tariffs?

The Government has

been slow to act in the recent parts

during the still crisis, the

secondary state assured my still

working constituents that they would

do everything they can to fight for

our industry.

Can they commit to

support given that the core products

produced there, Caterpillar, an

American firm are not producing the

US market in prose no threats to US

jobs?

My honourable friend makes an

important points. The exports from

skin roasted Caterpillar, about 25%

of the/ output, is quite right that

the US produces very capabilities in

this product. Therefore, the

application of tariffs is likely to

result in a rising input costs,

which is not really in anybody's

benefit.

The Northern Ireland Secretary Karen

Bradley has been accused

of 'dithering' over the issue

of the salaries that continue

to be paid to Members

of the Northern Ireland Assembly,

a body that's been suspended

since January last year.

The MLAs, as they're known,

receive annual salaries

of £49,000.

She said it was time to address

what she called 'the public

concern' over the issue.

I think Trevor Rini, was instructed

by my predecessor to produce an

independent view and recommended a

2000 and half percent reduction to

MLA pay. I will seek to introduce

legislation to take a power to very

MLA pay. Further to that I will

reduce Pate in line with the

recommendation but I will welcome

full and final representation for

the Northern Ireland parties before

I make a final decision.

I was

actually disappointed that the

Secretary of State continues to

dither about cutting the salaries of

MLAs. Doesn't the Secretary of State

accept and recognise that it is

merely indefensible that MLAs should

continue to receive their full

salary in the absence of a function

assembly for 14 months?

Morally

indefensible. Mrs. McDivitt

honourable ladies sums up the

comments that have been made by

members of the public. But I do want

to make sure that everybody has the

chance to make representation about

this matter. So that the power that

we can legislate forward and

Westminster is used to

appropriately.

Can I say it is a

very good move in terms of going to

consultation about the MLA salary

issue at the office cost allowance?

Which he agreed it would be

intolerable to move on that if the

house were not also to move on the

issue of MP's from Sinn Fein who

deliberately boycott this House

rather than MLAs who are prevented

from doing a full job?

Am sure none

of us want to be here again but here

we are, behind-the-scenes machinery

of government thinking still I. --

keep the lights on. We must at all

times keep in mind that the

restoration of the ball government

in Northern Ireland is the

principal.

The gravity of the issue

at hand and the scale of the

decisions being taken really serve

to underline what a grave crisis we

face now in Northern Ireland. After

14 months of the Executive

collapsing and power-sharing and

big. I welcome very much the

commitment the Secretary of State

reiterated today to the Belfast

agreement and the principles of

consent and power-sharing that are

independent in the light of the

recent attempts by some to undermine

that agreement.

I welcome the series

of measures that she has announced,

and also welcome very warmly with

her willingness to look at

arrangements provided for local

decision-making across community

basis in the meantime, she can be

assured of our full support and

engagement in that process. We want

devolution up and running, she knows

we will form the Executive to mile

on the basis of the agreed programme

for government with Sinn Fein and we

welcome all efforts to return proper

decision-making to Northern Ireland.

In the Lords, the Government

was asked to urgently approve

the use of medicinal cannabis

to prevent the suffering

of thousands of people in the UK

who could allegedly be helped by it.

It was a Cabinet office Minister,

not a Health Minister,

taking the questions.

And first of all he admitted it

wasn't his area of expertise.

This is a bit like mastermind behind

somebody else's specialist subjects.

LAUGHTER -- mastermind's but on

somebody else.

But one veteran campaigner for drugs

law reform wasn't deterred.

When most of the Western world, and

I recognise that cannabis does have

significant medicinal value, and

when Germany has just recently

legalized cannabis for 57

indications, no less, in this

country the UK, Miles behind

everybody else, we have cannabis and

schedule one and defined as a

dangerous drug, with no outlined

medicinal value. What will the

Minister do in terms of working with

his colleagues to bring this matter

forward as a matter of urgency

rather than waiting years for the

WHO report? I know them somewhat and

they do take a little time and order

to save the incredible suffering, I

have met so many people now

suffering, tens of thousands if not

hundreds of thousands of people up

and down this country.

I officials

last week and I didn't press him

very hard on the medical advice and

I have to say that the professional

advice of medical experts in this

country is that cannabis in its raw

form has no medicinal value. And

that is why it's a schedule one

drug. Subject to strict rules. I'm

reluctant to second-guess those

officials.

Some 15 years ago, the

technology and secretary which I was

chairman at the time at a six-month

inquiry on the use of medicinal

cannabis. We found and reported

overwhelming evidence that there was

proof of a value of cannabis and

that people who were taking cannabis

do not get high on the stroke, they

were not actually dependent on the

job but it is their symptoms with

neurological conditions and other

result, we did get at least one drug

which was licensed for market. I

agree with the local lady come a

great deal of urgency, or 15 years

and it's about time the Government

did something about this.

The Minister said he would report

back to the Home Office on the views

raised and said he was awaiting

a report from the World Health

Organisation due next year.

I welcome the fact the noble lord,

the Minister, except that perhaps it

should be a Health Minister Stanek

at the despatch box, but even so, is

the noble lord aware that in the UK,

doctors are allowed to prescribe

heroin to addicts under certain

circumstances? So how does he square

that with the fact that they are not

permitted to prescribe most

effectively cannabis medicines to

patients in pain, even though these

are available legally in many other

countries in the world? Isn't it

time we stop criminalizing patients?

On the specific issue, the noble

baroness raises, the Home Office

would consider issuing a licence to

enable trials of a new medicine

including cannabis, subject to

appropriate ethical approvals. There

is a possibility of a specific

licence indicates the noble baroness

Ashton just raised. If necessary,

the timetable could be expedited.

Lord Young.

And that's it from us for now,

but do join us at the same time

tomorrow for another round up

of the day at Westminster,

the Chancellor will present his

spring statement to the Commons

at lunchtime, which of course isn't

a full-scale budget,

but it should provide an insight

into the current state

of the nation's finances.

Afterwards Philip Hammond

will answer questions from MPs.

But for now from me,

Lucy Grey, goodbye.