0:00:19 > 0:00:21Hello there and welcome to The Week In Parliament.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24On this programme, the last Prime Minister's Questions
0:00:24 > 0:00:26before the summer recess sees Jeremy Corbyn
0:00:26 > 0:00:28and Theresa May going to
0:00:28 > 0:00:31battle on some familiar themes.
0:00:31 > 0:00:353.8 million people in work are now living in poverty.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37We created the National Living Wage.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39That was the biggest pay increase for people on
0:00:39 > 0:00:43lowest incomes ever.
0:00:43 > 0:00:49With MPs and peers heading off on their summer
0:00:49 > 0:00:52break, we ask three experts what we have learnt
0:00:52 > 0:00:53from this parliament so
0:00:53 > 0:00:56far and what we can expect in the future.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Also on this programme, the Government announces it's bringing
0:00:58 > 0:01:01forward the date when the state pension age will rise to 68.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03There is a balance to be struck between
0:01:03 > 0:01:05funding of the state pension in years to come,
0:01:05 > 0:01:07whilst also ensuring fairness for future generations of
0:01:07 > 0:01:11taxpayers.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14But first, there was a rowdy end of term sort of feel to
0:01:14 > 0:01:16the last Prime Minister's Questions before recess.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn focused on low pay,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22but began by highlighting splits at the top of the Government.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, had appeared on TV a few days earlier,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28saying some senior ministers were briefing against him because they
0:01:28 > 0:01:33didn't like his views on Brexit.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35That had followed press stories featuring comments he'd reportedly
0:01:35 > 0:01:37made during a Cabinet meeting.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42Remarks Jeremy Corbyn seized on.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Mr Speaker, the Chancellor said this week that some public services
0:01:46 > 0:01:49servants are overpaid.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Given the Prime Minister has had to administer
0:01:53 > 0:01:56a slap down to her squabbling cabinet, does she think the
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Chancellor was actually talking about her own ministers?
0:01:58 > 0:02:01I recognise, as I said when I stood on
0:02:01 > 0:02:02the steps of Downing Street a year ago,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04that there are some people in
0:02:04 > 0:02:05our country who are just about managing.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07They find life a struggle.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09That actually covers people who are working
0:02:09 > 0:02:12in the public sector and
0:02:12 > 0:02:18some people who are working in the private sector.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20And that's why it's important that the Government is
0:02:20 > 0:02:23taking steps - for example, to help those on lowest
0:02:23 > 0:02:24incomes through the National Living Wage.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It's why we have taken millions of people out of paying
0:02:27 > 0:02:29income tax altogether.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31It's why basic rate tax payers under this
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Government have seen a tax cut of the equivalent of ?1,000.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Can I invite the Prime Minister to take a
0:02:36 > 0:02:46check with reality on this?
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Mr Speaker, one in eight workers in the
0:02:54 > 0:02:57United Kingdom, that is 3.8 million people,
0:02:57 > 0:02:58in work are now living in
0:02:58 > 0:03:00poverty.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Why doesn't the Prime Minister understand that low pay is
0:03:02 > 0:03:08a threat to an already weakening economy?
0:03:08 > 0:03:14The best route out of poverty is to work.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17That's why it is so important that over the last
0:03:17 > 0:03:20seven years we have seen 3 million more jobs being created in our
0:03:20 > 0:03:21economy.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23What's important for Government as well is to ensure that
0:03:23 > 0:03:26we do provide support for people.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28That's why we created the National Living Wage.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30That was the biggest pay increase for people on lowest
0:03:30 > 0:03:31incomes ever.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33When did the Labour Party ever introduce the National
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Living Wage?
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Never.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37That was a Conservative Government and a
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Conservative record.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43I look along that front bench opposite, Mr
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Speaker, and I see a Cabinet bickering and backbiting while the
0:03:46 > 0:03:54economy gets weaker and people are pushed further into debt.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I'll tell the Right Honourable gentleman
0:03:57 > 0:03:58the reality.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00The reality is that he is always talking Britain
0:04:00 > 0:04:02down and we are leading Britain forward.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04The SNP's leader at Westminster turned to the pensions
0:04:04 > 0:04:05of the so-called Waspy women.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08The Prime Minister has found up to ?35
0:04:08 > 0:04:12billion for Hinkley Point C nuclear power station,
0:04:12 > 0:04:17up to 200 billion to replace the Trident missile system,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21and one billion for a deal with DUP just so she can keep her own job.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24She seems to be able to shake the magic money
0:04:24 > 0:04:28tree when she wants to.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33Can the Prime Minister now end the injustice for those women
0:04:33 > 0:04:35who are missing out on their pension before
0:04:35 > 0:04:38she herself thinks about retiring?
0:04:38 > 0:04:41We have put ?1 billion extra into this question of the change
0:04:41 > 0:04:44of the state pension age to ensure that
0:04:44 > 0:04:47nobody sees their state pension age increased by more than 18 months
0:04:47 > 0:04:55from that which was previously expected.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58And I have to also say to the honourable gentleman that the
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Scottish Government, of course, does now have
0:05:00 > 0:05:01extra powers in the area of
0:05:01 > 0:05:02welfare.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06And perhaps...
0:05:06 > 0:05:07Perhaps it's about time the Scottish
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Government got on with the day job and stopped talking about
0:05:10 > 0:05:11independence.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12Theresa May.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Parliament has been back for just over a month since June's surprise
0:05:15 > 0:05:16general election.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Theresa May was returned without a majority and was
0:05:21 > 0:05:24forced to strike a ?1 billion deal with the DUP.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26The change in her electoral fortunes has left Mrs May
0:05:26 > 0:05:28at the mercy of her own backbenchers and tightened
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Jeremy Corbyn's grip on
0:05:29 > 0:05:32his party.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34It promises to be a parliament with plenty of fight and
0:05:34 > 0:05:38of course there's one big subject on the agenda.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Roslyn Ball reports.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43A two-year Parliament, but a pared down Queen's speech
0:05:43 > 0:05:45with one big agenda item.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Presentation of bill.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Mr Secretary Davis.
0:05:49 > 0:05:55Mr Minister Baker.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00European Union Withdrawal Bill.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04With Brexit talks under way in Brussels, opposition parties claimed
0:06:04 > 0:06:11the UK Parliament has been left with little to do.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Isn't the European Parliament, however much mocked in
0:06:13 > 0:06:15this country, showing the mother of Parliaments just
0:06:15 > 0:06:17what parliamentary control looks like in the modern
0:06:17 > 0:06:19era?
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Its ability to veto the Brexit deal means that the other
0:06:23 > 0:06:29institutions need to front-load information to the Parliament, so
0:06:29 > 0:06:31there have been seven position papers against one
0:06:31 > 0:06:33from our Government and
0:06:33 > 0:06:35unfortunately parliamentary scrutiny in the Westminster Parliament is
0:06:35 > 0:06:41still rather unstructured.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43We have just completed an election where we
0:06:43 > 0:06:45have asked people to vote for us.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49As a parliamentary democracy, they expect us to debate and vote on
0:06:49 > 0:06:54motions that were relevant to their lives 31 days ago.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Our constituents expected us to come back
0:06:56 > 0:06:59straightaway to work.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00Instead after the gracious speech, there have only
0:07:01 > 0:07:04been seven votes.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06This Parliament is already being dubbed the zombie
0:07:06 > 0:07:10Parliament.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I actually think that that comparison would actually give
0:07:12 > 0:07:17the flesh eating undead a bad name.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19This is turbo-charged political zombie-ism.
0:07:19 > 0:07:25Pete Wishart.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28So those are just some of the issues which are
0:07:28 > 0:07:31going to shape this Parliament over the months to come.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33And to discuss all of this, I am joined in the
0:07:33 > 0:07:35studio by Jill Rutter of the Institute for Government,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Professor Ian Begg of the London School of
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Economics, and by the constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bogdanor.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41Vernon Bogdanor, is Pete Wishart right?
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Is it a zombie Parliament?
0:07:45 > 0:07:48From one point of view, it is a zombie Parliament in that it is
0:07:48 > 0:07:49deadlocked.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51There is really no majority for any controversial
0:07:51 > 0:07:52legislation at all.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54And both of the major parties are internally deeply
0:07:54 > 0:07:57divided on the major piece of legislation,
0:07:57 > 0:07:58which is, of course, the
0:07:58 > 0:08:00European Union Withdrawal Bill.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05But from another point of view, you might call it the backbencher's
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Parliament, because any backbenchers with proposals which achieve
0:08:08 > 0:08:10consensus can get their measures through.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14We have already seen an example of that in the proposal by
0:08:14 > 0:08:19Stella Creasey that women who come from Northern Ireland to secure
0:08:19 > 0:08:21abortions on this side of the Irish Sea can
0:08:21 > 0:08:23have them paid for by the
0:08:23 > 0:08:24taxpayer.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26And that was accepted by the Government for fear of losing
0:08:26 > 0:08:27the vote.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29There may be other similar measures.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31The great danger with that, of course, is that both of
0:08:31 > 0:08:34these proposals are for increases in expenditure, which is difficult
0:08:34 > 0:08:36for the Government to resist.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38So the Chancellor of the Exchequer in this
0:08:38 > 0:08:41backbencher's Parliament may be even more beleaguered than he would be
0:08:41 > 0:08:42normally.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43All right.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48Ian Begg, let's talk a bit about Brexit, then.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50How, as far as we can tell, are the political shenanigans
0:08:50 > 0:08:51and the parliamentary shenanigans at
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Westminster being viewed from Europe?
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I think I could sum it up in one word.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57They are perplexed.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00They cannot fathom what we're up to.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02I am regularly in other European countries
0:09:02 > 0:09:04and the question I am constantly asked is,
0:09:04 > 0:09:05"Why are you so insistent on
0:09:05 > 0:09:09shooting yourself in the foot in this manner?"
0:09:09 > 0:09:14And what comes over is a sense of not understanding what
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Britain wants, which is very clear in the stance that has been put
0:09:17 > 0:09:19forward in the negotiations, and not knowing what
0:09:19 > 0:09:20kind of finalite, the
0:09:20 > 0:09:23outcome Britain wants to achieve from it.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26All right, now Jill Rutter, we're going to see the Great Repeal
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Bill as it used to be called, the EU Withdrawal Bill, being discussed
0:09:29 > 0:09:32properly for the first time in September, when MPs return from
0:09:32 > 0:09:34their summer break.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37So how far is the civil service over the summer
0:09:37 > 0:09:41presumably going to be working flat out to try to make some sense of
0:09:41 > 0:09:45what this bill is going to do and where Parliament can go with it?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Well, the civil service has been trying to work out what to do with
0:09:48 > 0:09:50the bill since the referendum, basically.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54There's been a long task to try and identify both what
0:09:54 > 0:09:57legislation needs to be brought over, but also how to put that into
0:09:57 > 0:10:00law, and we have seen that with the Repeal Bill,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04which was actually ready for introduction a month or
0:10:04 > 0:10:06two earlier because it was ready for before
0:10:06 > 0:10:07the general election, so what
0:10:07 > 0:10:11the civil service really has to be getting
0:10:11 > 0:10:13on with is not just the
0:10:13 > 0:10:14legislation.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16There are seven other Brexit bills that need to be drafted
0:10:16 > 0:10:19on agriculture, fisheries, customs, trade, all those issues, so we need
0:10:19 > 0:10:22seven more, and I think those are in a less
0:10:22 > 0:10:23state of readiness than the
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Repeal Bill was.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32Then there are all the statutory instruments that need to
0:10:32 > 0:10:33go under scrutiny.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36We have seen an estimate from the Department on the EU that
0:10:36 > 0:10:38there will be...
0:10:38 > 0:10:39These are the changes that ministers can make.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42These are the things that actually give effect to the changes because
0:10:42 > 0:10:46the Repeal Bill is really just more of a shell to give ministers power
0:10:46 > 0:10:48to make those changes in law when they decide
0:10:48 > 0:10:49what they need to do.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51And some of those depend on the outcomes
0:10:51 > 0:11:00of the negotiations, so the
0:11:00 > 0:11:03real meat of the Repeal Bill isn't in the clauses that people
0:11:03 > 0:11:05are going to start debating in September.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07It is in all of the statutory instruments that the
0:11:07 > 0:11:09ministers are going to be bringing forward.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11And Vernon Bogdanof, the fear that has been expressed already
0:11:11 > 0:11:15by some of the nations but also by some backbenchers is that these
0:11:15 > 0:11:17ministerial powers are a great, fat power grab by the Government.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18Absolutely.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Statutory instruments don't get the sort of scrutiny that
0:11:20 > 0:11:22primary legislation, that is bills, get from MPs.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And the great danger is that this is a transfer of
0:11:25 > 0:11:28power not from the European Union to Parliament but from the European
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Union to the executive.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Now, the Government's view is that the Repeal
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Bill is dealing with essentially mechanical matters.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35It is just transposing European law into our
0:11:35 > 0:11:36own legal system.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But perhaps it is not quite so simple in some cases,
0:11:39 > 0:11:40because what after all is the analogous British
0:11:40 > 0:11:42institution to say the European Commission?
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Where do you find the analogy in Britain?
0:11:44 > 0:11:50So there are political choices to be made and
0:11:50 > 0:11:53where there are those political choices to be made, MPs will
0:11:53 > 0:11:55understandably want to scrutinise precisely what choices are being
0:11:55 > 0:11:57made and not hand ministers too much power.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58Meanwhile, Ian Begg, let's talk money.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Over in Europe, one of the first things on the agenda is
0:12:01 > 0:12:09the divorce bill and what it is going to cost us.
0:12:09 > 0:12:19Where are we going to get to with that?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Well, if I start with where I think it will finish, I believe
0:12:22 > 0:12:25that we will get a settlement of the order of 30 or 40
0:12:25 > 0:12:28billion euros, not the hundred billion euros that is being
0:12:28 > 0:12:29canvassed in the press.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31The reason it is contradicted is that if
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Britain withdraws on day one of Brexit from paying into the European
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Union, it receives a hole in the EU budget.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And that would apply to other net contributors, particularly
0:12:38 > 0:12:39Germany, to pay more.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42So what they would like to do is to seek out the
0:12:42 > 0:12:43current medium-term framework for the budget,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46which would last until 2020, and a bit beyond because of
0:12:46 > 0:12:47the overhanging bills.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49If that can be negotiated, it is going to make
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Britain look far more amenable for deals on other areas.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54And Jill Rutter, presumably the Government this end
0:12:54 > 0:12:55trying to negotiate that figure
0:12:55 > 0:13:00down to is close to zero as they can get.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03It will be trying to negotiate it down as close to zero but it's not
0:13:03 > 0:13:06actually put a red line on that one which is quite interesting,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09given the other areas where we have seen the government draw red lines.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Because I think they realised, precisely every zones Ian says.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14That this is one of the cards in our hand to actually secure
0:13:15 > 0:13:16other things we want.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19At the end of the day, we can have some flexibility on money,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22we can use that to improve other parts of the exit offer.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24So I think ministers will try as hard as they can
0:13:24 > 0:13:27to avoid being held down, while talking quite tough and trying
0:13:27 > 0:13:28to anchor to a lower figure.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Let's look at one issue where we have had a lot of chatter
0:13:31 > 0:13:34already and that is the status of the EU nationals
0:13:34 > 0:13:35living in the UK.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Now, the House of Lords so far, we haven't had a lot of noise
0:13:38 > 0:13:41from them but this is a subject they care passionately about.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Is this going to be one of the first battles for the Lords
0:13:44 > 0:13:45versus the government in Brexit?
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Well, it might well be, but it seems to me the government
0:13:48 > 0:13:50has put forward a reasonable position on which there
0:13:50 > 0:13:51can be negotiation.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54There are problems about families and so on but those matters can be
0:13:54 > 0:13:56discussed and dealt with.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58And I think, there, the EU will have to back down.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00I think they have been, frankly, a little ungenerous
0:14:00 > 0:14:03towards Theresa May's offer which I think was a reasonable
0:14:03 > 0:14:04and generous first step.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06And no doubt it can be improved with negotiation.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09So, if you think that the EU nationals issue will be settled,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12if you were a government minister, what would you be looking out
0:14:12 > 0:14:16for as the flash points particularly in the House of Lords?
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Well, the House of Lords, I suspect, will want us to remain
0:14:20 > 0:14:24in the internal market and in the customs union
0:14:24 > 0:14:27which Theresa May at least has said we shouldn't do.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31She was very clear in her Lancaster House speech that Brexit
0:14:31 > 0:14:34means Brexit and she means by that we should be out
0:14:34 > 0:14:37of the internal market and out of the customs union
0:14:37 > 0:14:44because in her view that would make us the satellite
0:14:44 > 0:14:47or colony of the EU, that is we would have to accept much
0:14:47 > 0:14:49EU law but without any role in formulating it.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Now, the House of Lords may take a different view,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55and the Labour Party in the Commons may take a different view.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57And the business community may take a different view.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59There will, I think, be serious clashes with the House
0:14:59 > 0:15:02of Lords because they are dealing with a minority government.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04The House of Lords is even more strongly Remain.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07It is worth pointing out that the House of Commons not only
0:15:07 > 0:15:17has a majority of people who voted Remain but an even larger majority,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22given the increase in the number of Labour MPs, and even larger
0:15:22 > 0:15:24majority than in the 2015 Parliament.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27So it is being required to do something that it doesn't want to do
0:15:27 > 0:15:29which is a constitutional first in British history.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Let's get a brief final thought from all of you.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Imagine that you are sitting in these chairs 12 months
0:15:34 > 0:15:36from now, where are we?
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Is Theresa May still Prime Minister? Have we had another election?
0:15:39 > 0:15:40Jill Rutter.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41Who knows, who knows?
0:15:41 > 0:15:43I think it is at the impossible to say.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45I think, hopefully, well, where do we hope to be?
0:15:45 > 0:15:48We hope to be much clearer about the UK Government's
0:15:48 > 0:15:49negotiating objectives.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Ideally, there would be far more consensus about what we are trying
0:15:52 > 0:15:55to object, we want to make progress in getting some of the necessary
0:15:55 > 0:15:56legislation through onto the statute book.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59We would be clear what sort of outcome
0:15:59 > 0:16:00we are starting to implement.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04That is what we need to be doing if we are going to minimise
0:16:04 > 0:16:07the risks on exit in March 2019.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08Ian Begg, are you this optimistic?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I think we will have moved to a position where we recognise
0:16:11 > 0:16:14that what is being talked about now, the dichotomy between hard
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Brexit and soft Brexit, is actually a false dichotomy,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22and the real dialogue will be between hard Brexit and rethinking
0:16:22 > 0:16:25whether we leave at all.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Interesting.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I agree with that comment very much but I think that government is much
0:16:30 > 0:16:31more stable than many imagine.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35It has an effective majority with the support of the DUP of 13.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And it will be able to avoid a vote of no-confidence which is the only
0:16:38 > 0:16:40way you can get it out.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43And I think Theresa May will last longer than people imagine.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46The backbenchers say they want to keep her there for the moment,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50that any leadership election will be divisive and would lead to calls
0:16:50 > 0:16:54for another general election which they don't want.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58And the key unifying factor for the Government which keeps them
0:16:58 > 0:17:00there is Jeremy Corbyn.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04The fear of Jeremy Corbyn.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07And that will keep them there possibly for five years.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10All right, thank you all very much indeed for coming
0:17:10 > 0:17:11into the programme.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Now, let's take a look at some other news from around
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Westminster in brief.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20The state pension age is to rise from 67 to 68 seven years earlier
0:17:20 > 0:17:23than initially planned.
0:17:23 > 0:17:29The change will affect those born between April 1970 and April 1978.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32The increase will now come into effect from 2037.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35The Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke told MPs
0:17:35 > 0:17:36people were living longer.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39There is a balance to be struck between funding of the state pension
0:17:39 > 0:17:42in years to come whilst also ensuring fairness for future
0:17:42 > 0:17:45generations of taxpayers.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49The approach I am setting out today is the responsible
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and fair course of action.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Most tensioners will now spend their retirement battling
0:17:54 > 0:18:01a toxic cocktail of ill-health.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04In our manifesto, we committed to leaving the state pension age
0:18:04 > 0:18:06at 66 while we undertake a review into healthy life expectancy,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09arduous work, and the potential of a flexible state pension age.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13The SNP continue to call for the establishment
0:18:13 > 0:18:15of an independent savings and pension commission.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19We believe that the government is not doing enough to recognise
0:18:19 > 0:18:20the demographic differences across the United Kingdom
0:18:20 > 0:18:24and an independent review of this would look at those.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27When Her Majesty the Queen came to the throne in 1952,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30there were 300 April that year who reached the age of 100.
0:18:30 > 0:18:39Last year, it was over 13,000.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Youth custody centres in England and Wales are now so unsafe
0:18:41 > 0:18:44that the tragedy is inevitable - that is the finding
0:18:44 > 0:18:46of the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Prisons.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Peter Clark said he hadn't inspected a single establishment where
0:18:49 > 0:18:50it was safe to hold young people.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53The jump in violence in our prisons is the crisis
0:18:53 > 0:18:57of the government's own making.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00The warning signs have been there.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02They have been warned by MPs, they have been warned
0:19:02 > 0:19:04by staff in our prisons, and they've been
0:19:04 > 0:19:06warned by charities.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Now, they are being condemned by this damning report.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12The budget for prisons has been cut by more than a fifth
0:19:12 > 0:19:15over the last six years, cuts that have now been proved
0:19:15 > 0:19:16to be a false economy.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Prison staff have been cut by a quarter, and those who remain
0:19:19 > 0:19:21are being put at risk.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23I would argue that the unforeseen exacerbant in prisons has been
0:19:23 > 0:19:26spice, and drug use.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29It was not anticipated by a previous government,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33and this is undeniably causing difficulties, both in terms
0:19:33 > 0:19:37of the behaviour of the prisoners and indeed the corruption
0:19:37 > 0:19:40of the prisoners and some staff in regards to the trade
0:19:40 > 0:19:42of these substances.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Labour has accused the government on in a promise to allow MPs vote
0:19:45 > 0:19:49on increasing tuition fees in England.
0:19:49 > 0:19:59They are due to rise this autumn to a maximum of ?9,250.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02But Labour face accusations from the Conservatives of misleading
0:20:02 > 0:20:04students during the election when it homes to write off
0:20:04 > 0:20:05existing student debt.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07This weak and wobbly government doesn't even
0:20:07 > 0:20:12trust its own backbenchers with a vote on its own policies.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Can she confirm, is it still Labour policy to pay off
0:20:15 > 0:20:18all 400 billion pounds worth of the outstanding student debt?
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Is it still her policy?
0:20:22 > 0:20:23Yes or no?
0:20:23 > 0:20:27I said once, and I will say it again, we have no plans to write off
0:20:27 > 0:20:29existing student debt, and we never promised to do so.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32The party opposite wants to talk about process because its policy
0:20:32 > 0:20:36platform is disintegrating before our eyes.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39This debate which cannot change arrangements for 2017/18
0:20:39 > 0:20:42is therefore a sham exercise.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45The government has confirmed the routes for the second stage
0:20:45 > 0:20:48of the high-speed rail network HS2.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51There will be two links on from Birmingham,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54one to the North West, and the other to the East
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Midlands and Yorkshire.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00The Transport Secretary Chris Grayling initially made
0:21:00 > 0:21:04the announcement in a written statement, prompting
0:21:04 > 0:21:07protests in the Commons.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10All the indications and now that the news will be
0:21:10 > 0:21:12sneaked out in a written statement any time now.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Shocking!
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Mr Speaker, this is a gross discourtesy and adds insult
0:21:15 > 0:21:16to injury for my constituents.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I too, sadly, think that it is outrageous that this
0:21:19 > 0:21:24major item of public expenditure which is affecting my constituents
0:21:24 > 0:21:28and those of many others is not being reflected
0:21:28 > 0:21:29by a statement here today.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32The Transport Secretary did eventually come to the Commons
0:21:32 > 0:21:34a little after ten o'clock at night.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38As you know, Mr Speaker, sometimes these things can happen
0:21:38 > 0:21:41as a result of cock-ups rather than conspiracy.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43We need HS2.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Since privatisation, the number of passenger journeys
0:21:45 > 0:21:48in our railways has doubled, it has nearly tripled on the key
0:21:48 > 0:21:49West Coast Intercity Corridor.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52We cannot continue to rely on the legacy of a Victorian
0:21:52 > 0:21:54forbearers, far-sighted though they were.
0:21:54 > 0:22:03What assurances and guarantees can he give that the total cost will not
0:22:03 > 0:22:05exceed the stated ?55.7 billion and not spiral as has been alleged
0:22:06 > 0:22:06in certain quarters?
0:22:06 > 0:22:09There have been some wild rumours, I have to say, Mr Speaker,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12in the last 24 hours about the project, based on frankly
0:22:12 > 0:22:15a finger in the air by people who are not involved in the project.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19The government has been urged to use the depth of the UK's relationship
0:22:19 > 0:22:21with Saudi Arabia to do more than just condemn its use
0:22:21 > 0:22:23of the death penalty.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Ministers say they seek King charity over reports that over 14 men
0:22:27 > 0:22:37could be facing execution for attending protests in 2012.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39The week the Foreign Secretary visited Saudi Arabia,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42eight people were executed in one day, beheaded.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Now, when will this government actually decide that it is time
0:22:45 > 0:22:49to publicly condemn these abuses of human rights?
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Our silence is deafening.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Surely that depth of our relationship with Saudi Arabia
0:22:56 > 0:23:00in trade, in finance, in the presence of many
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Saudi Arabians in this country, the long-standing way
0:23:03 > 0:23:06in which we have been together through war and peace, it
0:23:06 > 0:23:10would indicate we have the options for significantly more leveraged
0:23:10 > 0:23:14than mere condemnation.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17At the end of the day, Saudi Arabia is a sovereign state
0:23:17 > 0:23:19and it is not possible for us to either interfere
0:23:19 > 0:23:23with its judicial system or its constitutional approach
0:23:23 > 0:23:25to these matters.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28But we can make clear, as we do, our profound disapproval
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and our profound opposition to abuses of human rights and to
0:23:31 > 0:23:34deployment of the death penalty.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36The Lib Dem former Business Secretary Vince Cable has been
0:23:36 > 0:23:39announced as the new Liberal Democrat leader.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42He takes over from Tim Farron who stepped down from the job
0:23:42 > 0:23:44after the June general election.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Dr Cable lost his Commons seat in the 2015 general
0:23:47 > 0:23:50election, regaining it in the election in June.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55No other candidate stood for the job.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Time now for a look at what has been happening in the wider world
0:23:59 > 0:24:00of politics this week.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Here is Claire Gould with our countdown.
0:24:02 > 0:24:09PMQs might get heated but that is nothing compared
0:24:09 > 0:24:13to the passion unleashed in the Taiwanese parliament
0:24:13 > 0:24:19where a debate over infrastructure spending got a bit out of hand.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Settling their differences on the sport field rather
0:24:22 > 0:24:25than the battlefield, MPs versus journalists
0:24:25 > 0:24:28in the Westminster end of term Sportsday.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31With cross-party working in the tug-of-war and dispatch box
0:24:31 > 0:24:34relay decided in a photo finish.
0:24:34 > 0:24:42A note from the clerks can be invaluable to the Speaker.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Well, that is very helpful.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And I mean very helpful.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50From one of our senior clerks - don't have the details,
0:24:50 > 0:24:54believe you are correct, we can check.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59And there was just time for one more election before the end of term,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02this time in the House of Lords where a new hereditary
0:25:02 > 0:25:05peer was elected.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07The successful candidate was Lord Volkes of Harridon.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Someone in Parliament was very keen to get home for the holidays
0:25:11 > 0:25:12on Wednesday evening.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15The situation, lighting wise, has slightly thrown me off.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18That's right, Minister, keep calm and carry on.
0:25:18 > 0:25:27Claire Gould.
0:25:27 > 0:25:33And that is it from us this week and indeed for the summer.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35MPs and peers are now taking a break from Westminster.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39And we will be back when they return on September the 5th.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43But for now, from me, Alicia McCarthy, goodbye.