0:00:18 > 0:00:20Hello and welcome to the Week In Parliament.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22On this programme:
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Council tax bills will be going up to boost
0:00:24 > 0:00:28funding for social care.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31But opposition parties say it's the wrong way to tackle the problem.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33This is an unfair way to raise additional money,
0:00:33 > 0:00:35which will increase inequalities between rich and poor areas.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38The crisis in Syria.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Was it a mistake for the Commons to reject taking military action
0:00:41 > 0:00:43against President Assad three years ago?
0:00:43 > 0:00:46I think we are deceiving ourselves in this Parliament if we believe
0:00:46 > 0:00:52that we have no responsibility for what has happened in Syria.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54And the Labour former Cabinet Minister Peter Mandelson
0:00:54 > 0:00:58weighs into the Brexit debate with a warning.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00You are risking a very severe deterioration in the UK
0:01:00 > 0:01:04business environment.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07But first, the Government has been facing pressure over social care
0:01:07 > 0:01:09for older and disabled people.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12At Prime Minister's Questions, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
0:01:12 > 0:01:17dedicated five of his six questions to social care funding.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20The crisis affects individuals, it affects families and it affects
0:01:20 > 0:01:22the National Health Service, so why doesn't she do
0:01:22 > 0:01:27something really bold?
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Cancel the corporation tax cut and put the money
0:01:30 > 0:01:33into social care instead.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36This social care crisis forces people to give up work to care
0:01:36 > 0:01:39for loved ones because there isn't a system to do it.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41It makes people stay in hospital longer than they should and leads
0:01:41 > 0:01:51people into a horrible, isolated life when they should be
0:01:53 > 0:01:55cared for by all of us through a properly funded
0:01:55 > 0:01:56social care system.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Get a grip and fund it properly, please!
0:02:00 > 0:02:04When he talks about governments ducking social care,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06let's look at those 13 years of Labour in government.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08They said in 1997, they said they would sort
0:02:09 > 0:02:16it in their manifesto.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20They had a royal commission in 1999, a green paper in 2005,
0:02:20 > 0:02:21the Wanless Report in 2006.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24In 2007 in the CSR, they said they would sort it.
0:02:24 > 0:02:25In 2009, they had another green paper.
0:02:25 > 0:02:3113 years, and no action whatsoever.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Well, the next day, the Government revealed what action
0:02:33 > 0:02:37it was going to take on funding the social care system in England.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40The Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid announced measures amounting
0:02:40 > 0:02:43to an extra ?900 million over the next two years.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46The plan is to let local authorities bring forward
0:02:46 > 0:02:48rises in council tax -
0:02:48 > 0:02:51what's called the social care precept.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53And money cut from a housing scheme will also be
0:02:54 > 0:02:57channelled into social care.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Today I can confirm that savings from the reforms to the new homes
0:03:00 > 0:03:03bonus will be retained in full by local government to contribute
0:03:03 > 0:03:07towards adult social care costs.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10I can tell the House that we will use these funds
0:03:10 > 0:03:15to provide a new dedicated ?240 million adult social care
0:03:15 > 0:03:19support grant in 2017-18, to be distributed fairly according
0:03:19 > 0:03:22to relative need.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Last year, the Government announced that councils would fund social care
0:03:25 > 0:03:31via a precept of 2% a year.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34In recognition of the immediate challenges that are facing the care
0:03:34 > 0:03:36market, we will now allow local councils to raise this funding
0:03:36 > 0:03:38sooner if they wish.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Councils will be granted the flexibility to raise the precept
0:03:41 > 0:03:46by up to 3% next year and the year after.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51This will provide a further ?208 million to spend on adult
0:03:51 > 0:04:01social care in 2017-18 and ?444 million in 2018-19.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04I ask gently of the Secretary of State, is this really the best
0:04:04 > 0:04:09time to be choosing to cut corporation tax on Amazon,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Sports Direct and the big banks?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Since the Prime Minister came to office, there has been much talk
0:04:16 > 0:04:20of help for those who are only just about managing their finances.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24That seems to have gone out of the window today.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26This is surely a truly feeble response to a national crisis,
0:04:26 > 0:04:33and the LGA would be entitled to reject this proposal and put
0:04:33 > 0:04:35the ball firmly back in the Government's
0:04:35 > 0:04:38court to think again.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42This is an unfair way to raise additional money,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46which will increase inequalities between rich and poor areas.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Now, the crisis in Syria prompted an emergency debate
0:04:48 > 0:04:50in the Commons on Tuesday.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53There were some powerful speeches as MPs pleaded with ministers to get
0:04:53 > 0:04:59aid to civilians and to stand up to President Assad and Russia.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02In his first speech as a backbencher in 13 years, George Osborne harked
0:05:02 > 0:05:05back to a Commons vote in 2013, when MPs rejected David Cameron's
0:05:05 > 0:05:09plans to take part in airstrikes against President Assad's forces.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13I think we are deceiving ourselves in this Parliament if we believe
0:05:13 > 0:05:18that we have no responsibility for what has happened in Syria.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22The tragedy in Aleppo did not come out of a vacuum,
0:05:22 > 0:05:27it was created by a vacuum, a vacuum of Western leadership,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30of American leadership, British leadership.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35I take responsibility as someone who sat on the national Security Council
0:05:35 > 0:05:36throughout those years.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Parliament should take its responsibility because of what it
0:05:38 > 0:05:42prevented being done.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47Meanwhile, a Labour MP warned about the activities of Russia.
0:05:47 > 0:05:55I don't think we have even begun to wake up to what Russia is doing
0:05:55 > 0:05:59when it comes to cyber warfare, not only their interference,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01now proven in the American presidential campain,
0:06:01 > 0:06:02probably in our own
0:06:02 > 0:06:04referendum, we don't have the evidence, but I think
0:06:04 > 0:06:05it is highly probable.
0:06:05 > 0:06:12Certainly in the French election, they will be involved,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16and there are already concerns that they have been interfering
0:06:16 > 0:06:17in the German elections coming up.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19We have got to wake up to this.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20Ben Bradshaw there.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22Now, turning to domestic affairs, let's take a look back
0:06:22 > 0:06:25at the challenges facing politicians in Holyrood and Cardiff Bay.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27The Scottish Government has gained new powers over income tax.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31So there was a lot of interest in the Scottish Budget on Thursday -
0:06:31 > 0:06:32unveiled by the Finance Secretary, Derek Mackay.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35We cannot accept, at this time of austerity, top earners benefiting
0:06:35 > 0:06:39benefiting from an inflation-busting tax cut.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43So I will limit the increase in the higher rate threshold
0:06:43 > 0:06:45to inflation, and not give a substantial real terms tax-cut
0:06:45 > 0:06:49to the top 10% of income earners.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52And plans to give more powers to the Welsh Assembly were discussed
0:06:52 > 0:06:56in the House of Lords on Wednesday.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58But the former lord chief justice Lord Judge warned
0:06:58 > 0:07:00that the UK Government would still have the power
0:07:00 > 0:07:02to overturn laws made in Wales.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07We have been discussing this legislation.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12It can be wiped out, any part of it, primary,
0:07:12 > 0:07:17secondary, tertiary, whatever it may be, it can be wiped
0:07:17 > 0:07:21out by a minister without any consultation with anyone
0:07:21 > 0:07:27at the National Assembly of Wales.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Here to explain the challenges facing politicians in Scotland
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and Wales are our Wales correspondent and our
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Scotland correspondent.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38David, starting with Scotland, it's the first budget
0:07:38 > 0:07:40in which Scotland has been allowed to set income tax.
0:07:40 > 0:07:46What have they done with these new powers?
0:07:46 > 0:07:48They've looked at them and said, we will fine-tune them.
0:07:48 > 0:07:57They are essentially sticking to what the UK Government is doing.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59The basic rate of tax will remain at 20%,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01but as we heard in that clip,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03when you start paying higher rate tax, they are putting the threshold
0:08:03 > 0:08:07up by inflation and no more.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10So if you are a higher rate taxpayer in Scotland,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12you will start paying the higher rate tax a bit earlier
0:08:12 > 0:08:14than you would be in England.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16These powers come into effect in April next year, so from then,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18in very crude terms, the Scottish parliament will have
0:08:18 > 0:08:21far more responsibility and more power over the money it spends.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23There has been a lot of pressure from opposition
0:08:23 > 0:08:25parties over this budget.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Now we know what is in it, how are they reacting?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32As you would expect, the Conservatives, who are now
0:08:32 > 0:08:34the principal opposition party at Holyrood, said this
0:08:34 > 0:08:37is a tax-raising budget, meaning that people in Scotland,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40if you follow the Conservative argument, will pay more tax
0:08:40 > 0:08:44than people in the rest of the UK.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Labour have decided to go on the offensive.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50They would have liked a higher top rate of tax.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53They would like to have seen a 50% tax rate for the highest
0:08:53 > 0:08:55earners in Scotland.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58And the Liberal Democrats are saying there is a sleight
0:08:58 > 0:09:04of hand in all this.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06When you look away from the income tax announcements, money
0:09:06 > 0:09:14is being taken away from local authorities in Scotland.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Turning to Wales, the Welsh assembly has shut up shop,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but the House of Lords has been discussing the Wales Bill.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Could you explain to us the main points in the Wales Bill?
0:09:22 > 0:09:26This is devolving more powers to the Welsh assembly,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28mainly on things like energy, transport, the way elections
0:09:28 > 0:09:35are run in Wales, even the name of the assembly.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41It is also removing the need for a referendum before
0:09:41 > 0:09:43devolving income tax, so Wales will, if this is passed,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46have powers over a certain amount of income tax,
0:09:46 > 0:09:47as in Scotland.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50It is also moving to a reserved model of powers, which is something
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Scotland already has, which is meant to make it simpler
0:09:53 > 0:09:55to understand so that you presume everything is devolved other
0:09:55 > 0:10:00than what is listed.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05However, there are concerns that it's a little overcomplicated.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07There have been a lot of critical comments about it
0:10:07 > 0:10:09in the House of Lords and elsewhere.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10What are the key criticisms?
0:10:10 > 0:10:11Mainly on the reserve powers.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16The list is extensive of the amount of exceptions.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20They say it's too complex and will lead to wrangling
0:10:20 > 0:10:23in the courts, exactly the thing that it is meant to avoid.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26There are also concerns that the UK Government has a veto over certain
0:10:26 > 0:10:29powers in Wales and could stop things happening in Wales.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32All this is against the backdrop of Brexit.
0:10:32 > 0:10:39In Scotland, how has that changed the political atmosphere?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42You're right, everything is seen through the prism of Brexit,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44be it in Cardiff, Edinburgh or Belfast or of course
0:10:44 > 0:10:50here at Westminster.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Within hours of the Brexit result coming through,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Nicola Sturgeon was saying it was highly likely
0:10:54 > 0:10:56that there would be a second independence referendum.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Slight rowing back on that now, but the constitutional question
0:10:59 > 0:11:04in Scotland is now very much alive, and it is all tied in with Brexit.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Depending on how the Brexit negotiations go,
0:11:06 > 0:11:16whether they are easy or hard, whether Scotland feels
0:11:18 > 0:11:20it is properly represented, we have to remember that
0:11:20 > 0:11:23although the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Scotland, by quite a large majority, voted to remain.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27And in Wales, how has Brexit affected political
0:11:27 > 0:11:28discussions there?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30It has really dominated discussions in the Welsh assembly,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32although it is very different to Scotland.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33Wales voted to leave.
0:11:33 > 0:11:41However, the majority of assembly members actively campaigned to stay.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44So they're slightly out of step with the national mood in Wales.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47But they are very keen to make sure that Wales has a voice,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51that the specific concerns of Wales are heard and are listened
0:11:51 > 0:11:55to in these negotiations, because Wales has received
0:11:55 > 0:11:59an enormous amount of regional funding from Europe.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Last question on the future.
0:12:01 > 0:12:072016, no one could have predicted what has gone on.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Could I ask you to share any thoughts on 2017
0:12:09 > 0:12:11and how things are going to go?
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Very simply, Brexit will still be important.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16It will dominate the relations between Holyrood and Westminster
0:12:16 > 0:12:20and between the Scottish Government and the UK Government.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25We also have local authority elections in Scotland in 2017,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28where the SNP could do very well.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31It could take local authorities from Labour in Scotland,
0:12:31 > 0:12:36which will mean that the SNP is in control of Holyrood
0:12:36 > 0:12:38and a lot of the large city councils as well.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40That is a double-edged sword.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44It means the SNP will have the power, but also,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48if things go wrong at a local level or there are controversies
0:12:48 > 0:12:51at a local level about spending and things like that,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53it will be SNP councillors perhaps criticising the SNP
0:12:53 > 0:13:00government in Scotland.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04And similar for Wales?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Yeah, it will be Brexit-tastic for everyone in Wales next year!
0:13:06 > 0:13:09In the same way, we also have local elections and it will be
0:13:09 > 0:13:14interesting to see how Ukip do, seeing as Ukip now have the power
0:13:14 > 0:13:18base in the Welsh assembly.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Can they build on that in local elections following the vote
0:13:21 > 0:13:24to leave, or where does that leave them now that we are leaving
0:13:24 > 0:13:25the European Union?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Thank you both very much.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Theresa May has been attending a summit of European Union
0:13:30 > 0:13:31leaders in Brussels.
0:13:31 > 0:13:38She wasn't present at an informal dinner to discuss Brexit
0:13:38 > 0:13:40but during official talks, she said she wanted an early deal
0:13:40 > 0:13:43on the status of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens
0:13:43 > 0:13:45living in other EU countries.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47It follows another week of twists and turns in the Brexit debate.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Mrs May has said she intends to trigger Article 50 in March leading
0:13:51 > 0:13:52to a two-year exit procedure.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54But on Monday, the Chancellor Philip Hammond suggested -
0:13:54 > 0:13:57in a session with the Treasury Committee - that there might be
0:13:57 > 0:13:58a drawn-out transition period.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01There is, I think, an emerging view among businesses, among regulate as,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03and among thoughtful politicians, as well as quite a universal view
0:14:03 > 0:14:10among civil servants on both sides of the English Channel that having
0:14:10 > 0:14:19a longer period to manage the adjustment between where
0:14:21 > 0:14:25we are now, still members of the European Union,
0:14:25 > 0:14:32and where we get to in the future as a result of the negotiations
0:14:32 > 0:14:35that we will be conducting would be generally helpful,
0:14:35 > 0:14:39would tend towards the smoother transition, and would run
0:14:39 > 0:14:45less risk of disruption, including crucially risks
0:14:45 > 0:14:48to financial stability.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Two days later, the Brexit Secretary David Davis had his first session
0:14:51 > 0:14:55with the committee set up to examine the UK's exit from the EU.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58The committee chairman, Hilary Benn, wondered what he had made
0:14:58 > 0:15:01of the Chancellor's remarks about transitions and
0:15:01 > 0:15:02thoughtful politicians.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Now, the Chancellor said on Monday there is an emerging view among
0:15:05 > 0:15:10business regulators and thoughtful politicians that it would be
0:15:10 > 0:15:13generally helpful to have a longer period to manage the adjustment
0:15:13 > 0:15:15as we leave the European Union.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Can we classify you, the Secretary of State
0:15:19 > 0:15:21as a thoughtful politician when it comes to transitional arrangements?
0:15:21 > 0:15:27Well, I'm not sure about the second qualification.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29I hope you can classify me as a thoughtful politician.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33In that context, let me be clear about where I think we are going.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38Firstly, as the Prime Minister said a number of times,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and as I have said a number of times, what we're up
0:15:41 > 0:15:43after is a smooth and orderly exit.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48That is the overarching aim.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51People get frustrated with us for sticking to the overarching aim.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54But that is what we are trying to do, that is the purpose
0:15:54 > 0:15:57of at least part of the tactic and strategy of it.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01And within that box, we want to get the maximum market
0:16:01 > 0:16:05access for British companies with the minimum of disruption.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09And, so, we will do what is necessary.
0:16:09 > 0:16:17What if all of those things cannot be negotiated within the,
0:16:17 > 0:16:22it could be 18 months, depending on what view
0:16:22 > 0:16:29he is taking.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30He has said 18 months.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32I think that it is all negotiable in that time.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35I mean, that is the sort of core of this, really.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38We have got a lot to do but that is one of the reasons...
0:16:38 > 0:16:41You may have thought perhaps my opening answer was not
0:16:41 > 0:16:43that helpful but it is one of the reasons that we are
0:16:43 > 0:16:46taking our time to get prepared on all fronts.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48The Article 50 process was written to allow departure
0:16:48 > 0:16:49of the European Union.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50That is its purpose.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55And, plainly, the architects of it and the authors of it thought
0:16:55 > 0:16:57it was time enough to do the job.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59The Brexit story moved swiftly on again on Thursday
0:16:59 > 0:17:02when Sir Ivan Rogers - the UK's ambassador to the EU -
0:17:02 > 0:17:04was reported as saying that the European consensus is that
0:17:04 > 0:17:07a Brexit deal might not be reached for another ten years.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09The Labour former Cabinet Minister, Peter - now Lord -
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Mandelson happened to be giving evidence to a Commons
0:17:12 > 0:17:13committee that day.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15He was asked about the possible risks of Brexit.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18You are risking a very severe deterioration in the UK
0:17:18 > 0:17:19business environment.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23This deterioration is not going to happen straightaway.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28That was the mistaken impression that you were
0:17:28 > 0:17:31given in the referendum.
0:17:31 > 0:17:40It will be a gradual, inexorable, worsening of the conditions
0:17:44 > 0:17:47It will be a gradual, inexorable, worsening of the conditions
0:17:47 > 0:17:48for business in the UK.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52And that is why those who say it all seems to be going OK so far
0:17:52 > 0:17:54are completely missing the point. It hasn't even kicked off yet.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57You will be well aware, I'm sure, that Ivan Rogers,
0:17:57 > 0:18:06the British ambassador to the EU, in a leaked memo today,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11has been revealed as saying that a trade deal will take ten years
0:18:11 > 0:18:12to negotiate after Brexit.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Can I ask what your gut reaction to that kind of revelation is?
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Lord Mandelson said that sort of timetable was "realistic"
0:18:17 > 0:18:20if the government wanted a bespoke trade deal with the EU.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24While an agreement on the exit terms will come earlier because this
0:18:24 > 0:18:30negotiation will come first, and can be a proved by a majority
0:18:30 > 0:18:36of the EU's member states, the separate, quite separate
0:18:36 > 0:18:40negotiations on what trade arrangement replaces our membership
0:18:40 > 0:18:46of the EU will be harder, it will be longer, and it
0:18:46 > 0:18:51will require the approval of all member states
0:18:51 > 0:18:53and their parliaments, not just a majority.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Lord Mandelson, giving his views on Brexit.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Now, time for a roundup of some other stories from Parliament.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Nigel Owens - a top rugby referee - spoke to the Culture Committee
0:19:03 > 0:19:05about tackling homophobia in sport.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08He said that before coming out as gay, he had
0:19:08 > 0:19:10experienced suicidal feelings.
0:19:10 > 0:19:16I had to accept my sexuality first of all, and it took me an overdose
0:19:16 > 0:19:20and a few days in intensive care and only just coming back to life
0:19:20 > 0:19:22until I accepted that.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26There were people to help me through this and tell me things
0:19:26 > 0:19:30will be OK and I can look back now and say yes, they were right,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33things will be OK in the end, but at the time, a lot
0:19:33 > 0:19:37of it was to do with dealing with myself, and you are quite right
0:19:37 > 0:19:44in what you say there.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47We have to do more we can to make the environment
0:19:47 > 0:19:52safer for these people, the matter what age they are.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54It was the last Prime Minister's Questions of 2016.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58It started on a jovial note - with a few jokes at the expense
0:19:58 > 0:19:59of the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02In the light of the Foreign Secretary's this play of chronic
0:20:02 > 0:20:04foot in mouth disease, when deciding on Cabinet positions,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07does the Prime Minister now regret that pencilling FO against his name
0:20:07 > 0:20:10should have been an instruction, not a job offer?
0:20:10 > 0:20:19LAUGHTER.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Mr...
0:20:25 > 0:20:26Order!
0:20:26 > 0:20:29There is far too much noise in the chamber,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31we have heard the question, but I want to hear
0:20:31 > 0:20:33the Prime Minister's answer. Prime Minister.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Thank you, Mr Speaker.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I have to say that the Foreign Secretary is doing
0:20:38 > 0:20:41an absolutely excellent job.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48He is, in short, an FFS, a fine Foreign Secretary.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54And now for a quick rundown of some other interesting nuggets of news
0:20:54 > 0:20:56from in and around Westminster.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Here's Richard Morris with our countdown.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Sleaford by-election winner Caroline Johnson arrived
0:21:05 > 0:21:08in the Commons this week as the 455th woman ever to have
0:21:09 > 0:21:10been elected as an MP.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13That total now finally equals the number of male MPs
0:21:13 > 0:21:16in the front parliament.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Ministers faced three urgent questions on Monday as MPs
0:21:20 > 0:21:23asked about social care, the Fox bid for Sky,
0:21:23 > 0:21:24and the conflict in Yemen.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26The last time so many urgent questions were asked
0:21:26 > 0:21:28was in March of 2015.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Tory MP Peter Bone got into a bit of trouble on Thursday
0:21:32 > 0:21:35for an unusual choice of headwear for asking a question
0:21:35 > 0:21:36in the Commons.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41The hat was made by a local charity but one glance at the Speaker,
0:21:41 > 0:21:42and it was promptly removed.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Margaret Thatcher has topped the Woman's Hour
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Power List on Radio 4.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50The list was compiled of women who have made a difference
0:21:50 > 0:21:51to real women's lives.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Also featured was Barbara Castle.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58And season's greetings, let's take a look at some
0:21:58 > 0:22:01of the festive cards from party leaders this year.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Merry Christmas.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Richard Morris.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Now, as many of us sit down to Christmas leftovers
0:22:13 > 0:22:15on Boxing Day, spare a thought for the shop assistants
0:22:15 > 0:22:18who are back at work for the first day of the sales.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20A public petition has called for shops to be
0:22:20 > 0:22:22closed on Boxing Days.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25The Government has said it's not for ministers to tell retailers how
0:22:25 > 0:22:26to run their businesses.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29But the Labour MP, Helen Jones, recalled a time when the sales
0:22:29 > 0:22:31didn't start until January.
0:22:31 > 0:22:36Now, I confess that we are bit long in the tooth, I can remember
0:22:36 > 0:22:44when Boxing Day closure was the norm.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46It was a bank holiday.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Nobody thought of doing anything else.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Certainly, all big stores would close.
0:22:50 > 0:22:59And people stayed at home with their families.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04In fact, I'm old enough to remember that when the New Year sales
0:23:04 > 0:23:06actually began in the New Year.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08After the 1st of January. So, people stayed at home.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11If they wanted to go to the sales, they went later on.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13And here is the thing. Nobody starved to death.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16The world did not run out of cheap televisions.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Nor did the country run out of supplies of winter coats and boots.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23So, I confess when I first realised that people
0:23:23 > 0:23:32were shopping on Boxing Day, I would look at people
0:23:32 > 0:23:35going into the supermarket, I would look at the queues,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and I would enter myself, for heaven's sake, get a life.
0:23:38 > 0:23:45However, I have moved from indifference to anger.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And I have done so because all of the evidence shows that
0:23:48 > 0:23:51poorly paid retail workers are being exploited to fuel
0:23:51 > 0:23:55a national obsession, a debt fuelled shopping binge that
0:23:55 > 0:24:00in the end does know one any real good.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Now, it's six months since the Labour MP Jo Cox
0:24:03 > 0:24:05was murdered in her constituency in West Yorkshire.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08She is still very much on the minds of MPs.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11As a tribute to Jo Cox, the parliamentary rock band, MP4 -
0:24:11 > 0:24:14along with several pop stars - have released a single.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16It's a cover of the Rolling Stones song,
0:24:16 > 0:24:17You Can't Always Get What You Want.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Proceeds from the downloads will go to the Jo Cox Foundation.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24MPs remembered their colleague at Prime Minister's Questions.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Sadly, Mr Speaker, our late colleague Jo Cox will not be
0:24:27 > 0:24:30celebrating Christmas this year with her family.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33She was murdered and taken from us.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36So, I hope the Prime Minister, as I'm sure she will,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38join me in encouraging people to download the song,
0:24:38 > 0:24:46which many members helped to create, as a tribute to Jo's life and work
0:24:46 > 0:24:48and in everlasting memory of her.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50The right honourable gentleman is absolutely right
0:24:50 > 0:24:51to raise this issue.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54I'm sure everybody in this House will send a clear message,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58download this signal, single for the Jo Cox Foundation.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00It is a very important cause.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04And we all recognise that Jo Cox was a fine member of this House
0:25:04 > 0:25:07and would have carried on contributing significantly
0:25:07 > 0:25:10to this House and this come true, had she not been brutally murdered.
0:25:10 > 0:25:20It is right, I think, that the Chancellor is waving
0:25:22 > 0:25:25the VAT on this single, I think everybody involved in it has
0:25:25 > 0:25:27gave their services for free, I'm having a photograph with MP4
0:25:27 > 0:25:28later this afternoon.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Pete Wishart is a member of MP4.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32And...
0:25:32 > 0:25:34And once again, once again, let's just encourage everybody
0:25:34 > 0:25:36to download this single.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37Well, that's it from me for now.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Keith Macdougall will be with you on Monday night at 11
0:25:40 > 0:25:42for another round up of the day here at Westminster.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Until then, from me, Kristiina Cooper, goodbye.
0:26:36 > 0:26:36Questions
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Questions to
0:26:38 > 0:26:39Questions to the
0:26:39 > 0:26:39Questions to the Prime
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Questions to the Prime Minister.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues
0:26:44 > 0:26:45and others in addition
0:26:45 > 0:26:47to my duties in this House.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48I shall have further such
0:26:48 > 0:26:50meetings later today.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55Mr Speaker, can I take the opportunity to wish you