0:00:00 > 0:00:04bill.Second reading what date, Friday 22nd of April, thank you.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Hello and welcome to Monday in Parliament, our look at the best
0:00:27 > 0:00:30of the day in the Commons and the Lords.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33On this programme, Britain and the EU reach agreement
0:00:33 > 0:00:34on the transitional period after Brexit.
0:00:34 > 0:00:41Arguments shift to what the future might hold for the port of Dover.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44There is no degree of customs check whatsoever that can prevent Dover
0:00:44 > 0:00:50from becoming less of a car park and in fact most of Kent from becoming a
0:00:50 > 0:00:51car park.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Labour challenges Ministers to do more to end the laundering
0:00:53 > 0:00:56of so-called "dirty" Russian money through Britain.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59What will the Government now do to ensure that the enforcement agencies
0:00:59 > 0:01:06are fully resourced to tackle this gorge on our society? -- this
0:01:06 > 0:01:09scored.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12And there are calls for a cystic fibrosis drug to be made
0:01:12 > 0:01:14available on the NHS.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17There are lots of hard big stories from people who are six years old
0:01:17 > 0:01:19and younger who are sharing their frustration with the people I'm
0:01:19 > 0:01:22speaking for today.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25But first, it's been a significant moment in the long saga of Brexit:
0:01:25 > 0:01:28the UK and the EU have reached a deal over the almost
0:01:28 > 0:01:30two-year transition period, due to start in March 2019
0:01:30 > 0:01:32when the UK formally leaves the EU.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Agreement is still needed over how Britain's ports
0:01:34 > 0:01:39and borders will operate once the transition period ends.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43A university study has claimed that just two extra minutes of checks
0:01:43 > 0:01:45on vehicles could lead to 29-mile long tailbacks
0:01:45 > 0:01:53on roads around Dover.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56But on the BBC's Question Time on Thursday, the Transport Secretary
0:01:56 > 0:01:57Chris Grayling insisted that there would be no
0:01:58 > 0:01:59checks at the border.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01In the Commons, the Labour chair of the Brexit Committee believed
0:02:01 > 0:02:03this was a change of policy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:09He quoted Mr Grayling.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12We don't check lorries now and we're not going to be checking lorries
0:02:12 > 0:02:13in Dover in the future.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Given that the Government is committed to leaving the customs
0:02:16 > 0:02:19union but that all free-trade agreements involve some
0:02:19 > 0:02:21checks that borders, how exactly can this be squared
0:02:21 > 0:02:22with no checks at all?
0:02:22 > 0:02:27Which border crossings will be covered by the no checks policy?
0:02:27 > 0:02:36Will it just be railroad ports, for example?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39On the issue, what the Secretary of State for Transport had
0:02:39 > 0:02:40to say last Thursday, he said in addition
0:02:40 > 0:02:43to the remarks of the right honourable gentleman has raised,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46we will not under any circumstances create a hard border in Dover that
0:02:46 > 0:02:49requires us to stop every lorry in the port of Dover.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51This, of course, Mr Speaker, is absolutely right.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Can the Minister give a single example of a nation which does not
0:02:54 > 0:02:56rely on either a customs union agreement or on customs
0:02:56 > 0:03:00enforcement at its border?
0:03:00 > 0:03:05What are the Government's plans to manage our trade relationships,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07protect our own producers, or uphold environmental protections
0:03:07 > 0:03:10without either a customs agreement or border enforcement?
0:03:10 > 0:03:13I am fully familiar with the importance of a frictionless
0:03:13 > 0:03:16border and of course, the other important news that we've
0:03:16 > 0:03:19had today, Mr Speaker, is that we have concluded,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23subject to the European Council meeting shortly, an implementation
0:03:23 > 0:03:28period for these particular arrangements, which will of course,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31give us additional, valuable time to provide certainty to businesses
0:03:31 > 0:03:34but also to make sure we have all the arrangements in place
0:03:34 > 0:03:38for a successful customs arrangement going forward.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43The port of Dover reckons that 99% of the traffic goes
0:03:43 > 0:03:46to and from the European Union and it takes these massive,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49great lorries on average two minutes to get through.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53The other 1% goes to the rest of the world and it takes an average
0:03:53 > 0:03:5420 minutes to get through.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59There is no degree of customs check whatsoever that can prevent Dover
0:03:59 > 0:04:02from becoming less than a car park and in fact, most of Kant
0:04:02 > 0:04:04from becoming a car park.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08I urge the Minister to reject the representations in the analogue
0:04:08 > 0:04:12parties opposite that seem to have a dystopian vision
0:04:12 > 0:04:14for analogue borders where every single load is stopped.
0:04:14 > 0:04:22And as the constituency representative for the port
0:04:22 > 0:04:25of Dover, can I urge him to embrace digital borders
0:04:25 > 0:04:27so that we have frictionless trade, risk-based stopping of trade
0:04:27 > 0:04:29and inspections where necessary, and postponement of checks
0:04:29 > 0:04:30to workplaces and audits?
0:04:30 > 0:04:33And in this way, this dystopian desire of the party opposite
0:04:33 > 0:04:36for Dover and Kent to be turned into a car can be avoided,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38but only with investment.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40And can I urge him to make the appropriate investment
0:04:40 > 0:04:48in systems to make that vision a reality as soon as possible?
0:04:48 > 0:04:58Will my right honourable friend take as inspiration
0:05:02 > 0:05:04the workings of DP World, the deepwater port of the south
0:05:04 > 0:05:07of Essex where thousands of lorries' worth of containers flow
0:05:07 > 0:05:09into the country from outside the customs union swiftly,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11slickly, and smoothly, and will he look upon that
0:05:11 > 0:05:13as a potential solution for our border in Dover?
0:05:13 > 0:05:18I thank my honourable friend for that point and I have no doubt
0:05:18 > 0:05:21that that is just one other example of where facilitations in technology
0:05:21 > 0:05:23can insure the goods move across a customs
0:05:23 > 0:05:24frontier efficiently.
0:05:24 > 0:05:31Mel Stride on matters of Brexit.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33And there will be more Brexit later in the programme.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38Strong appeals have been made by MPs for a cystic fibrosis drug,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Orkambi, to be made available on the NHS in England.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Cystic fibrosis affects more than ten thousand
0:05:42 > 0:05:43people across the UK.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45It's a genetic condition affecting mostly the lungs,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47but can also affect other organs.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50The Orkambi drug can slow down the decline of the lungs.
0:05:50 > 0:05:58It costs, however, around £100,000 a patient.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Because there is a restricted amount of people, fortunately,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07that suffer from this condition, the research, the development
0:06:07 > 0:06:10still has to go in and it's not like you are developing the next
0:06:10 > 0:06:12ibuprofen or cancer drug which is going
0:06:12 > 0:06:19to go out to millions and millions of people.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21This is going out to 70,000 people in the world
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and so therefore in order to build their research
0:06:24 > 0:06:29and development budget, they need to have reasonable costs,
0:06:29 > 0:06:37but nonetheless, of course, they do need to be reasonable costs.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39On Friday, NHS England has said, following advice,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41the NHS has asked this particular drug company to review
0:06:41 > 0:06:42its proposed pricing.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Unless this happens, further progress at this time
0:06:44 > 0:06:45is frankly unlikely.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51"Frankly unlikely."
0:06:51 > 0:06:54What sort of hope does a blunt statement like that give people
0:06:54 > 0:07:04with cystic fibrosis?
0:07:07 > 0:07:08He makes the important point that actually,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12if people have access to this drug, they can reduce the number of times
0:07:12 > 0:07:15they had to go to hospital and it would be very helpful if we had
0:07:15 > 0:07:17an understanding of the cost of those hospital admissions
0:07:17 > 0:07:20and what that would be, offset against the drug.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Wouldn't he agree with me on that point?
0:07:22 > 0:07:25This is a very important point and one that I hope the Minister
0:07:25 > 0:07:29will take into account, because we shouldn't just be looking
0:07:29 > 0:07:31at the cost of providing Orkambi, we should be looking
0:07:31 > 0:07:34at the savings that is housed in other areas as well.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36It should be available to everyone that needs it
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and that is sad that money is getting in the way
0:07:39 > 0:07:40of people's health improving.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Can I add the voice of one of my 6-year-old constituents
0:07:43 > 0:07:46who will not benefit from Orkambi, but recognises that if we don't get
0:07:46 > 0:07:48this right, the other treatments that might help her will be subject
0:07:49 > 0:07:53to similar concerns, similar delays?
0:07:53 > 0:07:55She's just six years old but she doesn't need
0:07:55 > 0:07:56this kind of delay.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59This he agree with me that this is not just about what can be,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01but how we deal with these life-changing drugs
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I understand the power of them to make such a difference?
0:08:04 > 0:08:06I thank the honourable member for that intervention there.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09I absolutely agree with her and there are lots of heartbreaking
0:08:09 > 0:08:11stories from people who are 6-year-olds and even younger
0:08:11 > 0:08:14who share in the frustrations of the people that I am
0:08:14 > 0:08:16speaking for today.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18But I must now declare a personal interest,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20as my now 16-month-old granddaughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
0:08:20 > 0:08:24shortly after she was born.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26On hearing about this debate, my daughter-in-law enlisted
0:08:26 > 0:08:33all her friends and family to sign the petition.
0:08:33 > 0:08:40Even though she knows that Orkambi will not help her daughter,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43but it is Vertex who are developing new treatments all the time
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and the use of Orkambi can only hope that research.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Yes, the NHS is in discussions with Vertex about Orkambi.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Vertex has approached the NHS England with a proposed deal
0:08:50 > 0:08:58to reduce its prices.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Whilst I can't share the details of this proposal due
0:09:01 > 0:09:03to the commercial confidentiality nature of them, believe
0:09:03 > 0:09:04you me, I wish I could.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I can assure members that the level that is proposed,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09are still far from cost-effective.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Therefore, there is more talking to do.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Last week, NHS England made a counter proposal
0:09:13 > 0:09:16which would ensure that the drugs could be used at a price
0:09:16 > 0:09:17that is cost-effective.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I understand NHS England has agreed to meet with Vertex,
0:09:19 > 0:09:20I jolly well hope so.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Of course it is not over e-mail.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25To discuss this counterproposal.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Following the poisoning attack in Salisbury,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Labour is challenging the Government to do more to end the laundering
0:09:30 > 0:09:33of so-called "dirty" Russian money through London.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Responding to an urgent question, the Minister said there was a "long
0:09:35 > 0:09:40list" of Government actions - including measures making it easier
0:09:40 > 0:09:44to confiscate assets and support for an amendment to legislation
0:09:44 > 0:09:47going through Parliament which could allow sanctions to be
0:09:47 > 0:09:50imposed on Russians alleged to be involved in the death
0:09:50 > 0:10:00of the lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02This government has taken a real steps to
0:10:02 > 0:10:03tackle criminal finance in
0:10:03 > 0:10:04this country.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Whoever the cooks are, wherever they are from, and no
0:10:07 > 0:10:09matter what nationality, we built pursue them and their cash.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Despite all the Minister has said, the national crime agency estimates
0:10:12 > 0:10:14that still £90 billion worth of money from the rest
0:10:14 > 0:10:17of the world has been laundered through the city each year,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19while the UN estimates 100 billion has been lost in British
0:10:20 > 0:10:23overseas territories.
0:10:23 > 0:10:30There was, he said, still a major problem.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32There is minimal checking of the UK's own registry
0:10:32 > 0:10:33of company ownership.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Indeed, it was possible for a journalist to set up a company
0:10:36 > 0:10:37called Crooked Crook limited.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40634,000 suspicious activity reports filed since October 2000 15.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41-- 2015.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44What will the Government now do to ensure that the enforcement
0:10:44 > 0:10:49agencies are fully resourced to tackle this score
0:10:49 > 0:10:50scourge in our society?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52What we shouldn't forget, we sought over the weekend
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Mr Speaker, what this really is about is a distraction
0:10:56 > 0:10:59by the Labour Party from its woeful response last week, an attempt
0:10:59 > 0:11:02by the Shadow Chancellor to say, nothing to see here, look over
0:11:02 > 0:11:05there, it is all about oligarchs.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07The Government, he said, was determined to deal
0:11:07 > 0:11:16with the problem of "dirty money":.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19One of the complaints was that the unexplained wealth
0:11:19 > 0:11:22order was not used by this government and it is one
0:11:22 > 0:11:24of their demand that they made over the weekend.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27The unexplained wealth order was used in under two weeks of it
0:11:27 > 0:11:29running into legislation on the 31st of January.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31It was served against an overseas oligarch on it when £2
0:11:32 > 0:11:35£22 million of property.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36That was action within a fortnight.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38I welcome the Minister said about the amendment,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42but can I ask them to confirm to the House that it will be
0:11:42 > 0:11:44genuinely tough and able to allow the authorities to seize
0:11:44 > 0:11:45money very quickly?
0:11:45 > 0:11:49In congratulating the Government on its support and moving
0:11:49 > 0:11:51towards the Magnitsky amendment, and I just point out
0:11:51 > 0:11:53that there are three elements there?
0:11:53 > 0:11:58Firstly, asset seizures, second, visa bans, and thirdly
0:11:58 > 0:12:00and very importantly, a public list of named individuals
0:12:00 > 0:12:03which makes it difficult for those names to access finance
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and encourages others not to get on the list?
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Has the Government compiled a list of politically
0:12:09 > 0:12:13exposed people from Russia, like their own first
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Deputy Prime Minister, who could be the subject
0:12:16 > 0:12:18of an unexplained wealth orders, and if they have that list,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21will it be published?
0:12:21 > 0:12:24The right honourable gentleman will know that individuals who may
0:12:24 > 0:12:28or not be subject of investigation or operations against them are not
0:12:28 > 0:12:31people that I would come to the House and publish.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34It could threaten our ability to have an effect on then.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Needless to say to the right honourable member, that it is our
0:12:38 > 0:12:41determination to make sure that we use intelligence-led
0:12:41 > 0:12:44policing to find money and to deal with those individuals,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48whether they are from here or from abroad.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, many, many other countries have open
0:12:52 > 0:13:00criminal investigations into the people who were directly
0:13:00 > 0:13:02responsible for the brutal murder of Sergei Magnitsky.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Why is the United Kingdom the only country not to have done so?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08I want to raise another issue with the Minister
0:13:08 > 0:13:14and that is the tier one investor visas, the Golden visas.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Anybody who gets one of those visas needs to demonstrate they've
0:13:17 > 0:13:19got £2 million worth, that they had £2 million
0:13:19 > 0:13:22that they wish to invest in the UK.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25We know that Russia is one of the two top countries taking
0:13:25 > 0:13:27advantage of these tier one investor visas.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32What steps is the Minister going to take so that we understand
0:13:32 > 0:13:35where the £2 million plus comes from, so that we can be assured
0:13:35 > 0:13:38that it is not dirty money and these are not unsavoury individuals?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40We do have the powers in our visa regime already
0:13:40 > 0:13:43to take action and we will, quite rightly, as she says,
0:13:43 > 0:13:52be looking at that tier to make sure that we do better to diligence
0:13:52 > 0:13:56-- due diligence, if we need to on where the money comes from.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59You're watching our round-up of the day in the Commons and the Lords.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Still to come: an MP says the number of school-children carrying knives
0:14:02 > 0:14:05is rising dramatically.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Now, it's three and a half years behind schedule,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11costing much more than anticipated and has had lower
0:14:11 > 0:14:13take-up than predicted.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The modernisation of the Home Office's Disclosure
0:14:17 > 0:14:20And Barring Service, the DBS, is not going well
0:14:20 > 0:14:22in the view of the spending watchdog, the National Audit Office.
0:14:22 > 0:14:28DBS is the successor organisation to the Criminal Records Bureau.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30The poor progress of the modernisation programme has now
0:14:30 > 0:14:36been scrutinised by the Commons public accounts committee.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40If your view is that this contract is still recoverable or deliverable,
0:14:40 > 0:14:47my words rather than yours, but you understand where I'm going,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50where does this contract have to get in order for you to recommend
0:14:50 > 0:14:51stopping or pausing?
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Because I see a contract that is 46 months behind
0:14:55 > 0:14:59schedule plus and growing, a contract that is 200 million,
0:14:59 > 0:15:04or in part £200 million over cost.
0:15:04 > 0:15:10So how many millions more does a contract have to be over cost
0:15:10 > 0:15:15or how much longer does the contract have to be undelivered before
0:15:15 > 0:15:17somebody goes "That's it, we can't do it"?
0:15:17 > 0:15:19In terms of the functionalities required for the remainder,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21a large part of the functionalities have been developed.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24There is very little that is required to be
0:15:24 > 0:15:26built into the system.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30There is going to be a lot more testing required to take place,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32so I don't believe that this contract requires to be stopped.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34It is recoverable, it is implementable.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Can I just move on, then, to you, Sir Philip?
0:15:38 > 0:15:40You have, as Mr Rowley said, disavowed yourself
0:15:40 > 0:15:41of the 2012 contract.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44You've just acknowledged the 2014 contract was a problem.
0:15:44 > 0:15:54You look a little embarrassed about the failure of this contract.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56It's another IT project failure in a department that you became
0:15:56 > 0:15:58permanent secretary of less than a year ago.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Aren't you rather worried about the capability
0:16:02 > 0:16:08of your department to let these large contracts,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10ESN, for example, as other examples
0:16:10 > 0:16:12of contracts from the Home Office.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14I think there are many, many excellent projects
0:16:14 > 0:16:17which are being delivered by the Home Office and are delivered
0:16:17 > 0:16:19in a way that fits in a framework of to time,
0:16:19 > 0:16:20to cost, good engagement...
0:16:20 > 0:16:23OK, you're talking about the good ones.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Of course you want to.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29I could get waylaid and ask you to detail them,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32but what I am talking about today is this particular contract.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34And I think Mr Rowley has highlighted very effectively
0:16:34 > 0:16:36that there were a number of problems, and you've agreed
0:16:36 > 0:16:40with a lot of that concern.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Don't think anyone's saying that the NOE is wrong and didn't
0:16:43 > 0:16:45things go wrong here, but this is on top of ESN,
0:16:45 > 0:16:48which we have seen you about now a number of times,
0:16:48 > 0:16:49and other contracts.
0:16:49 > 0:16:57Aren't you concerned about the capability
0:16:57 > 0:17:00of the Home Office to let these large IT contracts effectively?
0:17:00 > 0:17:02The governance is stronger in the Home Office, the government
0:17:02 > 0:17:05scrutiny is stronger of major programmes now than it was
0:17:05 > 0:17:06in 2012, markedly so.
0:17:06 > 0:17:14So can I ask sort of specifically what you have personally done,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17what have you personally done to try and stop this happening again?
0:17:17 > 0:17:18Have you implemented any changes since you arrived?
0:17:18 > 0:17:19Yes.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22So I would, without...
0:17:22 > 0:17:24I put additional emphasis on developing the programme
0:17:24 > 0:17:30project management profession, I have strengthened and simplified
0:17:30 > 0:17:34governance within the department, I have strengthened the management
0:17:34 > 0:17:38information and management reporting.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41I have done a number of things to make very clear
0:17:41 > 0:17:43within the department the importance of getting our major
0:17:43 > 0:17:44change programmes right.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47It is a work in progress.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Sir Philip Rutnam.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Back to Brexit now.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Because fears that human trafficking victims and female victims
0:17:55 > 0:17:57of violence could be left without protection once the UK
0:17:57 > 0:18:01is out of the EU have been voiced in the Lords.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Peers have had completed their eighth day of debate
0:18:03 > 0:18:08on the details of the EU Withdrawal Bill, the legislation
0:18:08 > 0:18:11designed to stop Britain being left in a legal limbo when the country
0:18:11 > 0:18:13exits this time next year.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16A human rights lawyer saw a series of dangers,
0:18:16 > 0:18:24facing women particularly, after March 2019.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26After exit day, women subject to violence could
0:18:26 > 0:18:27lose significant legal rights and protections,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32such as European production orders
0:18:32 > 0:18:35as well as a whole host of other majors aimed
0:18:35 > 0:18:36at tackling human trafficking, female genital mutilation
0:18:36 > 0:18:38and other crimes which disproportionately affect women.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Given the gravity of what we're discussing, namely how to protect
0:18:41 > 0:18:44abused women fleeing the country in which they live to escape
0:18:44 > 0:18:47an abuser, I hope to hear how the Government is expecting
0:18:47 > 0:18:52to continue protection for these women and girls post-Brexit.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55But violence against women and girls, it has not featured
0:18:55 > 0:19:01in any Brexit-related papers.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04So could the noble lady, the Minister, please tell us
0:19:04 > 0:19:08what provisions are being made to continue cooperation and data
0:19:08 > 0:19:18sharing on known and suspected perpetrators of human trafficking,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23FGM, sexual exploitation of children and a whole host of benefits
0:19:23 > 0:19:27which cross-EU cooperation has brought us until now?
0:19:27 > 0:19:31I support this amendment and am concerned about a number of matters,
0:19:31 > 0:19:38particularly the European protection order and European arrest warrants,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41both of which are important weapons in the issues in relation
0:19:41 > 0:19:44to domestic violence.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48The situation of a person that has been trafficked is desperate,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50stripped of agency, power and dignity, often in an unfamiliar
0:19:50 > 0:19:54country with little way out.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59This is an issue which significantly affects women and girls.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Of all the victims of human trafficking in Europe,
0:20:02 > 0:20:0670% are women and 11% girls.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10So a focus on tackling violence against women rightly seeks
0:20:10 > 0:20:13to address human trafficking.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Information sharing is the key to safety and security
0:20:16 > 0:20:21across the EU, and it is essential that we maintain our current access
0:20:21 > 0:20:23to exchange law enforcement intelligence from other
0:20:23 > 0:20:28European nations.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30We know, too, though that this is possible outside of the EU
0:20:30 > 0:20:33as a number of countries, such as Norway, Switzerland
0:20:33 > 0:20:38and the US, have operational agreements with Europol.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42We are wholly committed to working with local commissioners to deliver
0:20:42 > 0:20:47a secure future for violence against women and girls services.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Now as part of the negotiations, we will discuss with the EU member
0:20:50 > 0:20:56states how best to continue cooperation on a range of issues,
0:20:56 > 0:21:04including the European arrest warrant and Europol.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06An appeal has been made for the Government to take seriously
0:21:06 > 0:21:08the issue of young people taking knives to school.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11The number of knives being carried by school children has reached
0:21:11 > 0:21:14epidemic proportions, in the words of a Labour MP.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17She's fearful that efforts to combat the rise could be hampered
0:21:17 > 0:21:19by cuts to school budgets.
0:21:19 > 0:21:25The matter came up at Education question-time in the Commons.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Knife carrying in schools across the UK is up 42%,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32and yet in my constituency in Croydon, and I expect
0:21:32 > 0:21:36across the country, at least three quarters of head teachers have had
0:21:36 > 0:21:38to cut staff, special needs provision and support life
0:21:38 > 0:21:41mentoring, which are all crucial in preventing crime.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Now that this epidemic has infiltrated our schools,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47will he admit that school cuts are threatening
0:21:47 > 0:21:50our childrens' safety?
0:21:50 > 0:21:54You've heard the Secretary of State regarding school finance.
0:21:54 > 0:22:01All I would say to the honourable lady is that the department
0:22:01 > 0:22:07is working with the Home Office, and of course other
0:22:07 > 0:22:09police, Ofsted and health and safety, etc, on updating
0:22:09 > 0:22:11our school security guidance to make clear the risks
0:22:11 > 0:22:13carrying knives and provide advice on dealing with this
0:22:14 > 0:22:15really important issue.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17It is unacceptable to actually carry a knife in school.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Youth violence is up, mental health issues
0:22:19 > 0:22:21among young people is up, yet the number of qualified
0:22:21 > 0:22:22school nurses is down.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25The evidence shows that this can be part of addressing the root
0:22:25 > 0:22:30causes of youth violence.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Can we have qualified school nurses in every school as one step
0:22:33 > 0:22:43to tackling this issue?
0:22:43 > 0:22:47We are making further investment in mental health
0:22:51 > 0:22:54We are making further investment in mental health in schools to make
0:22:54 > 0:22:56sure that every school is able to deal
0:22:56 > 0:22:58with that issue in a way that is appropriate.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00NHS officials were accused of being woefully ignorant
0:23:00 > 0:23:02of the dangers of over dependence on prescription drugs.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Peers called for the government to provide a network of support
0:23:05 > 0:23:06for people affected.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07Opioids, like morphine, tramadol and fentanyl,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09are super-strength painkillers, which can be highly addictive
0:23:09 > 0:23:10and can even kill if misused.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13GPs in England prescribed nearly 24 million opioid-based
0:23:13 > 0:23:18painkillers in 2017, according to data from NHS Digital.
0:23:18 > 0:23:24Many, many patients are suffering huge damage as a result
0:23:24 > 0:23:26of overdependence often because they've been prescribed
0:23:26 > 0:23:32a particular medicine for too long a period.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35My Lords, there appears to be woeful ignorance amongst many people
0:23:35 > 0:23:37in the health service about this impact of dependence.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42There are no national programmes for supporting people.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Instead, people rely on local charities who are
0:23:44 > 0:23:46grossly underfunded.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Doesn't he think it's time for a national action plan,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52a national help line, support for local charities
0:23:52 > 0:23:55and getting the NHS to start taking this seriously?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57The Health Minister said the government had ordered
0:23:57 > 0:24:06Public Health England to conduct a review into prescription levels.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10There's been a doubling of the use of serious painkillers and indeed,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13deaths due to opiates of all kinds rising about two thirds
0:24:13 > 0:24:14in the last five years.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Of course, that's illegal.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17We do agree.
0:24:17 > 0:24:18That is why the review is taking place.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20I think it's premature to say what the outcome
0:24:20 > 0:24:24of that review will be, but it is undoubtedly the case
0:24:24 > 0:24:28that we do need a review...
0:24:28 > 0:24:30So with the shortage of mental health service in the NHS,
0:24:30 > 0:24:35GPs often have no alternative but to prescribe drugs.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36Doesn't the Government have to address that shortage
0:24:36 > 0:24:39in both of those areas?
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I think the link between mental illness and GP prescribing will be
0:24:42 > 0:24:45one of the things investigated in the review.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49We do know we need better mental health services in this country,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53but I think it is worth pointing out that are we increasing investment
0:24:53 > 0:24:55introducing new waiting time standards and services
0:24:55 > 0:24:57are getting better.
0:24:57 > 0:25:03Is the noble Minister aware of the very powerful evidence
0:25:03 > 0:25:05from the United States that one of the most
0:25:05 > 0:25:08effective ways of reducing dependency on opioids is in fact
0:25:08 > 0:25:10to legalize cannabis for the relief of pain?
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Cannabis is of course far less addictive, far less dangerous
0:25:12 > 0:25:18and yet incredibly effective for large numbers of patients.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Well, I would definitely be straying into Home Office
0:25:20 > 0:25:25territory by commenting.
0:25:25 > 0:25:32I would point that cannabis remains illegal in this
0:25:32 > 0:25:38country and the PHE review's...
0:25:38 > 0:25:41The review by Public Health England into prescription levels is due
0:25:41 > 0:25:42to report in spring next year.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44And that's it for this programme.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Mandy Baker will be here for the rest of the week.
0:25:46 > 0:25:56But for now, from me, Keith Macdougall, goodbye.