12/01/2017 Thursday in Parliament

Hello and welcome to Thursday in Parliament.

Coming up...

Peers speak out against any further cuts to the UK's defence budget.

There's a call for a special deal for the North of England

in the Brexit negotiations.

And the chair of the Equalities Committee argues it's time

for tougher action to get more women into Parliament.

We need to turn those warm sentiments into bums on seats.

But first, a former Nato Secretary General has warned

against further defence cuts, saying the UK is sleepwalking

into potential calamity.

Opening a debate on the UK's current Armed Forces capability,

the Labour former Defence Secretary, Lord Robertson, also questioned US

President-elect Donald Trump's attitude to Nato.

Donald Trump is due to take over as US president

at the end of next week.

During the US election campaign, he appeared

to play down the importance of the military alliance.

In his speech in the Lords, Lord Robertson warned that the world

was now seeing a bonfire of the post-Cold War certainties.

He told peers he'd recently been asked what was the biggest threat

to the safety and security of the UK and the list of potential

answers was a long one.

I considered some of the immediate and looming challenges

and threats that there are, and some of them are

pretty formidable.

Migration flows, which have suddenly ended up on our shores,

the spread of religious extremism and jihadi violence plumbing

new depths of savagery, a restive and resurgent Russia,

a rise in China and the disruption of North Korea.

And then, on top of all of that, there is the rise and dominance

of organised crime, population growth, pandemics and

financial instability.

That's a pretty formidable cocktail of trouble for us to face.

But my answer to the question of what was the greatest threat

is actually different.

It is ourselves.

We are our own worst enemies.

We are short-sighted, penny-pinching, na vely optimistic,

we are complacent and we're ostrich-like to the way

in which the world is becoming interconnected, more fragile,

more unpredictable and more incendiary.

He moved on to the election of Donald Trump as US President.

The Donald, with his Mexican wall, with new protectionism

and isolationism, with his serious questioning of Nato solidarity,

with a belief in torture and with Lieutenant General Michael Flynn

as his key security adviser.

Perhaps we don't actually need more enemies in the world today.

He attacked the amount the UK spent on defence,

warning we were sleepwalking to a potential calamity.

A former First Sea Lord joined in that call for the Government

to spend more on defence.

Having robust defence forces makes a war involving

our nation less likely.

If a small conflagration in a distant part of the world

develops into a war that threatens our national survival,

the best welfare provision, National Health Service,

education and foreign aid programmes in the world are as nothing.

Stopping war and defending our nation and people, if war happens,

are more important than any other Government spending priorities.

If ministers get defence wrong, the nation will never forgive them

and the cost in blood and treasure enormous.

The Government has a choice of whether we spend what is required

to ensure the safety of our nation, dependencies of people or not.

At present, I believe they're getting that choice wrong.

A former Conservative Defence Secretary was one of many

to raise fears about Russia.

I hope sincerely President Putin and his colleagues realise how

easily that mobilisations and provocations, that

accidents can happen, and how easily conflict can start.

We don't have to have the memories of the First World War

and Second World War, where war started by accident

involving the wrong people at the wrong time which weren't

meant to happen.

I just do take that factor very seriously.

In the face of Russian ambition, my lords, Europeans can no longer

get their defence on the cheap.

It's an interesting reflection that whereas the word burden-sharing used

to be used when one went to Washington, now the assessment

of Europe's contribution is shall we say expressed in more trenchant

and perhaps less suitable terms for a debate of this kind.

My lords, proposals for a European army in these circumstances are not

credible because it would inevitably create duplication and divert

necessary expenditure from the main thrust of Nato.

We lack strength in numbers.

We are not well placed to deal with the inevitable unseen,

least of all against a capable foe.

The more independently minded we become, the more capability

we need in a dangerous world.

Surely the two must go together.

Defence spending is going up.

When defence spending will increase by ?5 billion over this Parliament,

it's nonsense for anyone to suggest that there is no new funding.

I hope it is clear that the Government fully recognises

the breadth and severity of the threats that

face our country today.

We know that in this era of uncertainty we can take

nothing for granted.

The approach we've taken in the SDSR is, I believe, the right one

for strengthening our defence and security, and it is the one

to which this Government is fully committed.

Lord Howe.

The Transport Secretary has been accused of putting politics

before rail passengers.

Labour MPs attacked Chris Grayling at Question Time in the Commons

for refusing to give control of commuter services

to the Mayor of London.

And they demanded the railways be taken back into public ownership.

Mr Grayling said Labour could no longer be taken seriously

after Jeremy Corbyn said he'd join the picket line with

Southern Rail workers.

Mr Grayling faced a call for his resignation in December

after a leaked letter revealed he had opposed the devolution

of London suburban rail services, to keep them out

of the clutches of Labour.

Not only are my constituents of all political persuasions

disgusted by the manner in which the Secretary of State has

politicised this issue, but they have absolutely no

confidence in his proposed solution for the south-eastern franchise.

It is not right for London to act like a Hunger Games-style capital

seeking to subjugate the districts.

We need fair rail services for Kent, Essex and the other Home Counties

and I urge the Secretary of State to carry on and uphold his decision.

Well, Mr Speaker, I can assure my honourable friend I've

every intention of doing so.

The reality is this is a partnership arrangement that brings together

London, Kent County Council and my department to do the right

thing for passengers.

It is interesting that the Mayor could offer no proposals to expand

capacity on these routes.

I intend to bring forward proposals that do offer expanded capacity

for passengers on these routes.

The Secretary of State's leaked letter reveals that he reneged

on the suburban rail agreement because of his obsession to keep

services out of the clutches of a potential Labour mayor.

His words.

He put party politics ahead of passengers and clearly prefers

to see trains run late rather than on time under Labour.

Will he now agree to an independent assessment of the proposal

by a respected figure, and with his own department,

given the revelations yesterday of conflicting commercial interests,

and restore credibility to the process and ensure proper

consideration of the needs of long-suffering passengers?

Mr Speaker, I cannot believe what I just heard

from the honourable gentleman.

Putting party politics before passengers.

In the week when the Leader of the Opposition said he would join

a picket line to perpetuate the unnecessary strikes

on Southern Rail that are causing so much damage to passengers.

I say to him, I will not take him seriously, Mr Speaker,

until I hear him condemn those strikes and tell the workers

to go back to work.

The Government's franchising policy lies in tatters,

with desperate attempts to retrofit contracts to protect

operators' profits and, as revealed yesterday,

National Express taking the money and running and selling c2c

franchise to the Italian state.

His director of passenger services awarded the disastrous Southern

franchise whilst owning shares in the company advising

the winning bidder.

The country has had enough of these sleazy deals.

Isn't it way past time for franchising to be scrapped

and the UK rail industry revitalised through public ownership?

Well, and the clock ticks ever backwards, Mr Speaker.

They don't want inward investment.

They don't want private sector investment in our railways.

And of course, Mr Speaker, what we still don't hear

from that part of This House, from the benches opposite,

is any words on behalf of passengers about the strikes.

This is a party that takes money from the rail unions and defends

them when they are on strike, no matter the inconvenience

to passengers.

They are a disgrace, they should stand up and say

the strikes should stop.

I'll say one thing at least about the Mayor of London.

He has at least had the wit and wisdom this week to say

the strikes are wrong.

Chris Grayling.

A special deal for the North of England should be sought

during the forthcoming negotiations on the UK's departure from the EU.

That was the view of peers in a three-hour debate entitled

The State Of The North.

It allowed peers to talk about the distinctive

character of northern towns, northern industry and

the northern landscape.

Peers accepted that while the North had benefited greatly

from regional EU funds, large parts of the region had voted

overwhelmingly to leave the EU in last year's referendum.

Despite its significant population, and in the absence of devolution,

the North does not punch at its weight and many,

especially those living in de-industrialised,

rust-belt towns, feel both disaffected and alienated.

It's a fact that a baby, a girl born in Manchester,

can expect to live for 15 fewer years in good health

than a baby girl born in the London Borough of Richmond.

Consider that Londoners currently benefit at a rate of over ?65

per head for investments in cultural infrastructure compared with less

than ?5 per head for the population based outside the capital.

We spent ?40 million on a garden bridge in London

without a brick being laid.

That would have gone a long way in Hull and secured many other

scores of arts institutions which have been decimated in

the North over the last year or so.

Why is there no vision for the wealth-making skills up

there when we are in clear danger?

The vision that, for instance, led us to fast build aeroplanes

when the Second World War seemed imminent.

These are utterly vital.

Who's defending the country now with anything like that foresight?

Most governments of all political colours have tended to be

London-centric in their thinking and the result of the referendum

in many parts of the North was certainly, in part,

a reaction to what many regard as the opinions

of a Westminster elite.

The divide was cemented even more by the sneering tone

of some commentators, implying that voters in the North

lacked the intelligence to vote the right way.

A Lib Dem peer praised a recent report on the North of England

by the think tank the IPPR.

Its recommendations urging local enterprise partnership resilience

audits in the face of Brexit, and the creation of a northern

Brexit negotiating committee to speak for the North

in the absence of the devolved structures now available in London,

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are critically important.

The report from IPPR on the North warns us that the uncertainties

surrounding the Brexit vote could set the recovery

of the North back very badly.

But the status quo before June 23rd was not serving the North well.

Brexit cannot just be about more control for London.

It's certainly heartening that the Government has understood

the need for an industrial strategy, making things matter.

In November, I read in the Evening Standard

that the Secretary of State for our exit from the

European Union, David Davis, had agreed with the London Mayor,

Sadiq Khan, that he would have a monthly face-to-face meeting

and this would take place both before and after Article 50.

So that the position of London could be understood at every

stage of the negotiation.

As far as I know, there is no such arrangement

for the North-East of England.

If there are negotiations, and money is to come back,

let that go to the regions, let's have constitutional change.

In Scotland, they want more powers for devolution,

and probably stay in, as they say.

We've combined, and I've combined with my colleague Gordon Brown,

together, to see if Scotland and the North, as a powerhouse,

if you want a real powerhouse, but Scotland and the North together

if you want a real powerhouse, put Scotland and the North together

for the same reason.

To redistribute the power, redistribute the resources and begin

to develop a northern economy.

We don't want to be patronised.

We do not intend to bring a begging bowl.

But we do insist that we be given the tools so that we can

get on with the job.

That means Government being bold enough to let go of the reins.

When I first came into this house, I remember a Conservative Peeress

saying to me, "Do you know, I've just been to Yorkshire

"and parts of it were quite nice."

The media, as we all know, are also heavily concentrated

in north-east London and they report things that happen in Islington

or Tower Hamlets in ways they would never think

about reporting if they happened in North Leeds or East Bradford.

Listening to this debate, I was struck by the number

of representations that we heard about the potential relative

disadvantage of the North in accessing the decision-makers.

That is, without going beyond my brief, that is certainly a point

that I think my colleagues in Government should be aware

of given the strength of feeling that has been expressed

throughout this debate.

I think that is one of the most important lessons

that I have learned.

You are watching Thursday in Parliament with me, Alicia McCarthy.

The Commons Equality Committee says political parties

must face fines if they don't ensure at least 45% of General Election

candidates are female.

30% of current MPs are female.

The Commons Equality Committee said that

represented a serious democratic deficit for no good reason.

It said the law must change after the

2020 General Election if that figure didn't change significantly.

The general secretary made a statement on the report.

If 100 years ago the suffragettes who fought for

women's rights, fought for our right to be elected to sit in this place,

were told that just 455 women would be elected

to this place over the

next ten decades, I am not sure whether they would have laughed or

cried.

I think they would be proud that the United Kingdom had seen two

female Prime Ministers, but the fact is there

are as many men sitting in

this place today as there are women ever elected to be Members of

Parliament.

The committee called for more transparency from parties on

the work they are doing to improve selection

and for diversity data to

be published.

She said they also wanted a minimum of 45% of

parliamentary candidates to be women and that

women should make up 45% of

MPs by 2030.

To make progress, these measures need real teeth and that is

why the committee has also recommended that the remit of

the electoral commission be extended to introduce fines for

noncompliance.

In our evidence session with leaders of the

political parties it is evident there is enormous support for more

representation in parliament.

Each one agreed that Parliament would be

a better place if 50% of MPs were women, but we need to turn

those warm sentiments into bums on seats and I

hope that isn't unparliamentary language.

She said Parliament was letting itself down on the global

stage and had fallen down the world's rankings in terms

of female representation.

More than half the MPs today are on Labour benches.

43.7% of the PLP is made up of women.

Much of this is to do with Labour's commitment at the shortlist level

and I would like to ask,

does she think other parties should look to introduce all women short

lists for their parliamentary selections and does she agree that

parties that aren't already taking direct

positive action should do so

as a matter of urgency?

I thank the honourable lady for her question.

I think the party should look at evidence

of what works and what the

report clearly says is that there is a body of evidence

parties can look at.

I don't think it is for the select committee

to dictate to parliamentary

parties as to how they run their own selection procedures.

That is for them but they should also look

at the evidence.

In recalling that Labour lost one of the safest seats

in Blaenau Gwent in 2005 because of the imposition

of a women only short list, what role does my right

honourable friend see in local associations being able to choose

what candidate they think are best for that area irrespective of gender

or of the voters deciding to vote for that person irrespective of

their gender.

I thank my honourable friend for that question and he is

absolutely right.

Associations and local parties have a huge role to play

in making sure they get the right person for

the job in that area, but

it is very surprising to see that just one

in four candidates at the

last general election was female.

I think perhaps we need to ensure there is the right training and

support in place and we have a diversity of candidates from those

associations and parties to choose from.

The SNP thought there were lessons to be learned from Scotland.

The SNP Scottish Government is also making

decisive action to make sure women are in senior decision-making roles

including in the boardroom, and it contains many ambitious

commitments in support of women's equality.

Can I ask if the UK Government is considering similar measures and

when they would come in to fruition?

The recommendations in our report are for the government to consider.

We think it is important after the next

general election, if there isn't significant progress, 45% of

candidates should be female.

She mentioned equal representation in

cabinets, and I was really heartened to see Justin Trudeau when he became

premier in Canada having a gender balanced cabinet and saying, what

would you expect in 2016?

I say, what should we expect in 2017.

A senior Labour MP has called on ministers to back an independent

investigation into allegations of breaches

of humanitarian law in the

Yemen civil war, because it is simply not acceptable to wait for

Saudi Arabia to do the job.

Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict between a Saudi

Arabian-led coalition backing the Yemen government and Iran-backed

Houthi rebels.

MPs are calling for an independent investigation into

allegations made against both sides of breaches of international

humanitarian law.

Stephen Twigg, the Labour chairman of the International

Development select committee, said such an investigation

was long overdue,

as he bemoaned the pace of the progress made by Saudi Arabia

on its own investigations.

The government repeatedly, over the last 14 months,

has been asked about Saudi Arabia's own investigations.

To my knowledge and the Minister may be able to

update us today, Saudi Arabia have produced nine reports on violations,

even though there have been many other allegations made.

Progress, I believe, on this is glacial and I

think it is remarkable the government still hold

the line that Saudi Arabia must take responsibility

for investigating its own alleged violation.

I give way.

These reports put forward have been far too slow and

the reason is we are dealing with the country

written a report like this and

they are having to learn

the hard way to show the

transparency that the international community expects.

The point I would like to make is that this progress

is slow because we are talking about a fledgling state, and this is still

a very young state which is not used to this level of scrutiny and

transparency and so it will take a long time for these

reports to come out.

The honourable lady anticipates the final remarks that I want to

make in this speech because she used the word

"slow," the minister used the

word "slow," I used the word "glacial" because it is too slow.

The substantial point I want to ask and

I look forward to the minister responding when he speaks, at what

point will the British government take the view that we need to move

to an independent enquiry?

The machine is slow in putting these together.

The conduct of investigations is totally new and the assessment team

is learning its way.

I keep putting pressure on them and will continue

to do so and I make it very clear that to lose faith in that process

which is beginning, and to digress, how long it took for the Chilcott

enquiry to come together.

And this is a machine that we have in this

country well versed to the legal parameters you have to deal with.

We have to have faith in Saudi Arabia

for the moment to see these reports must be

forthcoming and for the

moment I remain confident they can produce these reports.

Finally, are we any closer to a decision on when MPs and peers

can decide on whether or not to move out

of Parliament to allow a massive refurbishment programme?

The Palace of Westminster is crumbling with

leaking roofs, crumbling stonework and ancient wiring and plumbing.

At business questions, one MP wondered

if a decisions was on the horizon, but first he wanted to raise

something altogether different that was trending on social media.

Further to the question, sorry, may I

first of all wish you a happy kiss a ginger day.

The member for North Antrim quite rightly asked the

question...

I'm sure you can look it up!

The member for Northampton raised a very serious question

earlier about the committee report which was produced 18 weeks ago on

the future of the Palace of Westminster.

It is now becoming irresponsible that we have not yet

had a debate because a fire in one of the 98 rises of this building

would spread very rapidly and asbestos, in any part of this

building, if discovered could lead to the closing of this building

immediately and indefinitely.

And any problems in the sewage of the

building could close the building immediately.

So could he make sure we get on with this immediately and

we are outrunning unnecessary costs and risks.

The honourable gentleman summarises the points that were made

at much greater length and the committee report

about the very real challenges in terms of managing

risks that there are with the building of the Palace of

Westminster.

I said to the honourable member that I would hope

we could have a debate as soon as possible.

This kiss a ginger activity is probably perfectly lawful

but I have no plans to take part in it myself.

Strikes me as a very rum business altogether.

I have not the slightest idea about what the

honourable gentleman was prating so the matter had

to be googled for me.

A rather bemused John Bercow bringing us to the end of this

programme, but please join me Friday night

at 11 for a full round-up of the

week in Westminster including the chair

of the women and equality is

committee on how to increase the number of female MPs, but for now,

from me, Alicia McCarthy, goodbye.