:00:23. > :00:28.Hello and welcome to the programme, on the last day of this Parliament
:00:29. > :00:32.before the general election and June the 8th. Coming up, condemnation
:00:33. > :00:36.from Labour on the government's Brexit strategy.
:00:37. > :00:39.Is not the truth that, far from uniting this country, this Tory
:00:40. > :00:42.government and its ministers have been dividing it since they took
:00:43. > :00:45.office? But the Brexit secretary says, out
:00:46. > :00:49.in the country, there is huge support for Theresa May's approach.
:00:50. > :00:53.Massive respect for our Prime Minister, and a belief that she will
:00:54. > :00:56.deliver the best outcome in bracts in negotiations.
:00:57. > :00:59.The government faces more questions over taking child refugees, and
:01:00. > :01:05.Parliament comes to a close with the traditional ceremony of pro-rich in.
:01:06. > :01:08.As the last two pieces of legislation finish their passage
:01:09. > :01:12.through Parliament. But first, Theresa May called the
:01:13. > :01:15.election arguing she needed a strong hand in the UK's Brexit
:01:16. > :01:20.negotiations. EU ministers are due to meet in Luxembourg over the
:01:21. > :01:25.weekend to hammer out their final negotiating position. On Wednesday,
:01:26. > :01:28.Theresa May met the European Commission president, Jean-Claude
:01:29. > :01:31.Juncker, for talks in Downing Street added that crucial summit of the
:01:32. > :01:37.remaining 27 members. Downing Street said Mrs May reiterated the UK's aim
:01:38. > :01:40.of building a deep and special partnership after Brexit. In the
:01:41. > :01:42.Commons, Labour focused on the rights of EU nationals living in the
:01:43. > :01:46.UK. As the Secretary of State knows,
:01:47. > :01:48.around 3 million EU nationals are very anxious about their status
:01:49. > :01:51.when we leave the EU. Labour would unilaterally
:01:52. > :01:54.guarantee their status from day one. Under this government,
:01:55. > :01:56.all they could do is apply for consideration
:01:57. > :01:58.for permanent residency. But as the Brexit committee warned
:01:59. > :02:04.in March, the current process for consideration of permanent
:02:05. > :02:06.residency applications The Secretary of State knows
:02:07. > :02:11.how important it is. Well, the thing I'd say
:02:12. > :02:16.to the honourable gentleman, and I respect his concern in this
:02:17. > :02:28.area, let me be clear about that, but the thing I'd say to him is,
:02:29. > :02:31.the system that's there now is not designed to deal with 3 million
:02:32. > :02:34.people, and it's been made plain. In fact, if you go
:02:35. > :02:37.on the Home Office website, you'll see them saying,
:02:38. > :02:39.don't make an application now, you don't need to,
:02:40. > :02:41.and when we actually move the primary legislation, it'll be
:02:42. > :02:44.a matter for the Home Office, but I believe that it will be very
:02:45. > :02:47.simple when we come to that point. Because as the Financial Times
:02:48. > :02:51.reported yesterday, the Home Office is now
:02:52. > :02:53.saying, don't apply. Is that the official government
:02:54. > :02:55.position for EU nationals, "don't apply for
:02:56. > :02:56.permanent residency"? Is that how they are going
:02:57. > :03:00.to deal with the anxiety? What that is about
:03:01. > :03:03.is the Home Office. It's a reflection of what's
:03:04. > :03:05.on the website, which is essentially pointing out that they don't need
:03:06. > :03:08.to apply for their rights to be underpinned, and that's
:03:09. > :03:10.the approach we're taking. Bear in mind, for the next two
:03:11. > :03:13.years, irrespective of anything the government does,
:03:14. > :03:15.all of the existing rights There will be no change
:03:16. > :03:22.in that respect. Before we come to the point
:03:23. > :03:26.of accident from the European Union, Before we come to the point of exit
:03:27. > :03:29.from the European Union, we will have made this very clear
:03:30. > :03:33.in primary legislation. The Prime Minister called
:03:34. > :03:34.the general election in the name of building unity
:03:35. > :03:37.to strengthen her EU But this is the Prime Minister
:03:38. > :03:41.who sent Go Home vans around parts of urban Britain
:03:42. > :03:44.with high immigrant populations. This is the Prime Minister who aided
:03:45. > :03:47.and abetted the most disgraceful campaign against the first Muslim
:03:48. > :03:51.mayor of our capital city, and this is the government who,
:03:52. > :03:54.with its hard Brexit allies, seeks to call anyone who calls
:03:55. > :03:58.into question their negotiating Is not the truth that far
:03:59. > :04:05.from uniting this country, this Tory government
:04:06. > :04:07.and its ministers have been dividing If the honourable gentleman
:04:08. > :04:15.wants an answer to that, I think the first place he should
:04:16. > :04:19.start is on the streets of Britain, where he will find a massive support
:04:20. > :04:22.for our Prime Minister, a massive respect for our
:04:23. > :04:27.Prime Minister, and a belief that she will deliver the best
:04:28. > :04:36.outcome in the Brexit negotiations. Will he agree with me that we cannot
:04:37. > :04:40.pretend to be a global player without running an open economy,
:04:41. > :04:42.with an orderly, and bureaucratic without running an open economy,
:04:43. > :04:44.with an orderly, unbureaucratic immigration policy,
:04:45. > :04:46.which will allow our businesses and our public services the people
:04:47. > :04:48.and skills they need? The balance that any
:04:49. > :04:51.government strikes when it controls its own immigration policy,
:04:52. > :04:53.controls its own borders, something which he has
:04:54. > :04:56.fought for down the years, is one which provides proper
:04:57. > :05:02.security and proper policy in terms of delivery of social services
:05:03. > :05:05.and delivering housing, but at the same time,
:05:06. > :05:09.allows our businesses, our universities, our research
:05:10. > :05:14.centres, our financial centres, all to take part in the battle
:05:15. > :05:18.for talent which actually makes our country one
:05:19. > :05:32.of the greatest in the world. A conservative said if there was no
:05:33. > :05:42.deal, trading and so-called favoured nation terms would be second best.
:05:43. > :05:46.It would be relatively small beer. Compared with the 15% improvement
:05:47. > :05:48.in competitiveness because of the exchange rate,
:05:49. > :05:51.and saving ?10 billion a year which is equivalent to a 7%
:05:52. > :05:55.tariff on our exports. Well, Mr Speaker, let me say quite
:05:56. > :05:58.clearly that the ambition and the intention of the government
:05:59. > :06:00.is to achieve the best possible free-trade agreement
:06:01. > :06:02.with our EU partners. However, our position also is this:
:06:03. > :06:05.We expect to negotiate toughly, and unlike the opposition,
:06:06. > :06:07.our position will be made clear to the European Union,
:06:08. > :06:11.that we are prepared to walk away from the negotiating table
:06:12. > :06:15.if it is not possible to achieve What kind of deal does the Secretary
:06:16. > :06:23.of State think he is likely to get if he and his government refuses
:06:24. > :06:26.to pay their dues in Europe? Surely, Mr Speaker, negotiations
:06:27. > :06:29.are about give and take. It is interesting,
:06:30. > :06:42.the Scottish National Party David Davies. Meanwhile, in the
:06:43. > :06:46.Scottish Parliament, the Conservative leader asked what the
:06:47. > :06:49.SNP's policy was on European union membership, and the Common Fisheries
:06:50. > :06:54.Policy. Nicola Sturgeon's stated position is
:06:55. > :06:58.to be a full member of the EU. Their MPs' stated position is to leave the
:06:59. > :07:02.Common Fisheries Policy. But full membership of the European Union
:07:03. > :07:05.means full membership of the Common Fisheries Policy. Isn't that the
:07:06. > :07:11.case, First Minister? Well, Ruth Davidson has clearly not
:07:12. > :07:15.been paying attention. They SNP has been consistent over many, many
:07:16. > :07:22.years in our criticisms of the Common Fisheries Policy. And very
:07:23. > :07:30.clear about our intentions to see it fundamentally reformed. Our 2007
:07:31. > :07:35.manifesto, continue to work for withdrawal of the CFP. 2011, the
:07:36. > :07:40.CFP, well past its sell by date. The 2014 white paper on independence,
:07:41. > :07:45.independence for Scotland would allow us to take a leadership role
:07:46. > :07:50.in reforming the Common Fisheries Policy. So the reality here is, the
:07:51. > :07:56.SNP that always stands up for Scottish fishing, and always will
:07:57. > :08:00.stand up for Scottish fishing. But Ruth Davidson thought the SNP
:08:01. > :08:03.was facing in several different directions.
:08:04. > :08:06.The SNP, saying they are in favour of joining the European Union, but
:08:07. > :08:14.the First Minister not confirming whether the first -- SNP will back
:08:15. > :08:19.that in their manifesto. They say they are in favour of the Common
:08:20. > :08:21.Fisheries Policy, except for MPs in fishing constituencies, who are
:08:22. > :08:24.against it. Then we have the real whopper. In Scotland, Nicola
:08:25. > :08:28.Sturgeon saying the coming election has nothing to do whatever with
:08:29. > :08:34.independence, but from the broadcast studios of London, up pops Alex
:08:35. > :08:39.Salmond to confirm that they will use this to demand a referendum that
:08:40. > :08:44.the rest of us don't want. So the First Minister thinks it on fishing,
:08:45. > :08:48.and EU membership and on the election, she conveys both ways and
:08:49. > :08:51.promise all things to all people. Isn't it the case she is treating
:08:52. > :08:54.the electorate as pools? What is a mean when the UK
:08:55. > :08:59.Government say they want a deal that works with EU's fishing communities?
:09:00. > :09:03.That can only mean that the Tories are preparing to sell-out Scottish
:09:04. > :09:08.fishermen a grant other European countries access to fishing waters,
:09:09. > :09:11.and treat that vital Scottish industry as expendable once again.
:09:12. > :09:20.First Minister has done nothing in the last 20 years to avoid her party
:09:21. > :09:24.looking shifty in Europe and independence. -- 20 minutes. The
:09:25. > :09:32.First Minister said on Monday, this election is not about independence.
:09:33. > :09:35.Yesterday, we see her sitting on a Iestyn Independence branded
:09:36. > :09:41.motorbike, in the shadow of the Wallace Monument, on the B road to
:09:42. > :09:49.Bannockburn. Can the First Minister tell me, what is her position today?
:09:50. > :09:52.Well, my position is as it has always been, so Willie Rennie should
:09:53. > :09:58.maybe listen carefully, because he seems to be struggling to understand
:09:59. > :10:00.it. I support Scotland being independent and an independent
:10:01. > :10:03.member of the European Union. There you go.
:10:04. > :10:07.A Labour leader turned to a domestic issue.
:10:08. > :10:12.After ten years SNP government, Scottish education is challenges
:10:13. > :10:16.like never before. Since the SNP took office, there are 4000 fewer
:10:17. > :10:21.teachers, 1000 fewer support staff, and class sizes are bigger.
:10:22. > :10:25.International studies show that Scotland is declining in maths,
:10:26. > :10:29.reading, and science. John Swinney's response to this was to publish a
:10:30. > :10:35.mini manifesto, repeating the very promises he has been making every
:10:36. > :10:38.year since 2007. So can the First Minister tell teachers, parents and
:10:39. > :10:43.pupils why they should believe the SNP this time around?
:10:44. > :10:51.Well, education is my top buyer at it. That is why... -- top priority.
:10:52. > :10:56.Kezia Dugdale does not like to hear this, but this is why right now
:10:57. > :11:04.across Scotland, head teachers and teachers have in their hands, ?120
:11:05. > :11:07.million of additional funding. And she said Labour had not a shred
:11:08. > :11:12.of credibility left and funding services.
:11:13. > :11:17.Back now to Westminster, where the government admitted there had been
:11:18. > :11:20.an administrative error in the placing of child refugees, with
:11:21. > :11:25.local authorities in England, which meant that there were 130 more
:11:26. > :11:29.places available. The Labour peer who successfully secured the
:11:30. > :11:30.original commitment to take child migrants from Europe welcomed the
:11:31. > :11:33.news. 130 children will be taken into this
:11:34. > :11:35.country under Section 67 of the Immigration Act,
:11:36. > :11:37.even if the reason is the Home Office having
:11:38. > :11:40.to hang its head in shame because they made an
:11:41. > :11:42.administrative error as part My Lords, I want to put
:11:43. > :11:49.this to the minister. Will the government now
:11:50. > :11:52.re-consult local authorities, because there are many local
:11:53. > :11:56.authorities, not just in England, but in Scotland, Wales
:11:57. > :11:59.and Northern Ireland, who've expressed a willingness
:12:00. > :12:02.to take more child refugees, and is the minister not aware that
:12:03. > :12:06.many representations have been made recently about the availability
:12:07. > :12:13.of local authority places? Well, the administrative error
:12:14. > :12:15.is most unfortunate, I wouldn't want to
:12:16. > :12:22.see that happening. The good news is that we have
:12:23. > :12:27.an additional 130 places, and I think we should all be very
:12:28. > :12:30.pleased about that. And I think the important thing
:12:31. > :12:36.here is that no child has been disenfranchised -
:12:37. > :12:38.any eligible child has 200 children have been taken so far,
:12:39. > :12:45.so we haven't even got to the 350. So I wouldn't want noble Lords
:12:46. > :12:47.to think that any child had been disenfranchised
:12:48. > :12:49.because of this Can the minister give us the figure,
:12:50. > :12:57.what capacity have local authorities told the government they have
:12:58. > :13:02.for unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the next financial year,
:13:03. > :13:05.namely this one, 2017-18, on the basis that the current level
:13:06. > :13:09.of government funding is continuing? Well, my Lords, as my honourable
:13:10. > :13:15.friend in the other place outlined in the written ministerial statement
:13:16. > :13:22.yesterday, the capacity In terms of future commitments,
:13:23. > :13:34.obviously, we are hours from prorogation, and I cannot make
:13:35. > :13:38.any future declarations at the dispatch box,
:13:39. > :13:42.much as I would want to. And those figures will be
:13:43. > :14:03.forthcoming, should we be successful Reading these debates that we have
:14:04. > :14:07.from time to time on the issue, they focused almost exclusively on local
:14:08. > :14:13.authority suggesting that they are the best providers. Is that the case
:14:14. > :14:16.and if so, what is the arrangement by which other providers can link
:14:17. > :14:22.into the system in order to increase the numbers available? I'm glad my
:14:23. > :14:26.noble friend asked the question because one thing the Government
:14:27. > :14:32.have been very keen to promote is the community sponsorship scheme
:14:33. > :14:40.which the most Reverend, Archbishop of Canterbury has taken part in an
:14:41. > :14:44.Lambeth Palace to take Syrian families and in fact indeed in my
:14:45. > :14:50.own local authority in Trafford we have a community sponsorship scheme
:14:51. > :14:54.and I never let the time pass without me encouraging noble Lords
:14:55. > :14:59.who might know any community sponsors who might be willing to
:15:00. > :15:04.come forward to take families. Staying in the laws, peers rejected
:15:05. > :15:07.a motion criticising the Government on the abolition of bursary for
:15:08. > :15:12.students on health care courses such as nurses or midwifery in England.
:15:13. > :15:16.The allowance was paid to help for living expenses during training,
:15:17. > :15:20.George Osborne announced plans to scrap them in November 2015 and
:15:21. > :15:25.replacing them with loans. Ministers argue the change would free up
:15:26. > :15:30.around ?800 million a year in government spending and could create
:15:31. > :15:34.up to 10,000 new training places. A Labour peer argued that it meant
:15:35. > :15:38.student nurses would rack up thousands of pounds of debt. In
:15:39. > :15:42.essence what the Government are insisting and I think this is the
:15:43. > :15:50.first time for decades, they are insisting that the nurses pay for
:15:51. > :15:56.working in the health service. They are paying their ?9,000 a year to
:15:57. > :16:02.work as unpaid nurses. And I think that is scandalous. Absolutely
:16:03. > :16:07.scandalous. The point the Government are making is that they are prepared
:16:08. > :16:12.if nurses pay for their own education and this is perhaps the
:16:13. > :16:18.point the noble Lord was making, if they paid then they would lift the
:16:19. > :16:25.cap so the universities could train as many students as they wanted. And
:16:26. > :16:30.that is something I hope works, I want this system to work, but then
:16:31. > :16:36.we come to the problem that it is easy enough for the universities to
:16:37. > :16:42.expand their lectures, to provide their library facilities, but the
:16:43. > :16:49.difficulty comes when the health service has got to provide the
:16:50. > :16:52.tutors, the mentors, to provide the practical oversight of the students
:16:53. > :16:58.when they are working on the wards and in clinical situations. Lady
:16:59. > :17:02.Watkins is a registered nurse and she said there was more than one
:17:03. > :17:07.route into nursing including a graduate scheme and a scheme like an
:17:08. > :17:12.advanced apprenticeship. Rather than re-instigate the bursary where we
:17:13. > :17:16.know that a lot of people applied to go to university because of the
:17:17. > :17:24.bursary and we had a very high dropout in year one and I was a Dean
:17:25. > :17:26.when that was happening so I speak from experience or some who
:17:27. > :17:33.completed the course but never had any intention of working but wanted
:17:34. > :17:37.to go into hate chart or perhaps become an air stewardess, neither of
:17:38. > :17:41.which is a bad thing but they had used the bursary structure to get
:17:42. > :17:45.their degree as an entry into those programmes rather than an intention
:17:46. > :17:55.to necessarily spend a lifetime caring. So I think it would be
:17:56. > :17:59.preferable to invest in three methods leading to registration but
:18:00. > :18:03.seriously considering giving a bursary for the third year of
:18:04. > :18:08.training when I would agree with the noble Lord that most students give a
:18:09. > :18:14.huge amount to the NHS in that third share. What the new system does is
:18:15. > :18:19.that it actually delivers more cash to cover the living costs for nurses
:18:20. > :18:24.during their education. It delivers more money per nurse for
:18:25. > :18:30.universities providing education through the fees and loan system.
:18:31. > :18:37.And it removes the caps and provides the NHS with trained nurses in
:18:38. > :18:42.total. I believe this motion is misguided, the extension is a
:18:43. > :18:49.natural development of reform that has received cross-party support.
:18:50. > :18:52.This will dramatically improve the participation of disadvantaged
:18:53. > :18:55.groups and will provide a fair distribution of the cost of funding
:18:56. > :18:59.for higher education, the true source of regret is the opposition
:19:00. > :19:04.has used this to run scare stories about both the impact of sensible
:19:05. > :19:08.funding changes and the impact of leaving the European Union on the
:19:09. > :19:13.NHS workforce. I urge all members of this house to vote against the
:19:14. > :19:21.motion. When it came to the voter peers backed the Government by a
:19:22. > :19:26.majority of 38. You are watching Thursday in Parliament. On the last
:19:27. > :19:35.day at Westminster ahead of the general election. Now when you think
:19:36. > :19:40.of the suffragettes who probably think of the women who took part in
:19:41. > :19:43.direct action to try to win the vote, but a new exhibition in
:19:44. > :19:56.Parliament reveals the role that men played in the campaign. Suffragettes
:19:57. > :19:59.on the streets of London, the names of campaigners like Emily Pankhurst
:20:00. > :20:04.and her daughter have passed into history. Less well-known is the fact
:20:05. > :20:08.that some of the suffragettes were men. A new exhibition in Parliament
:20:09. > :20:14.highlights the role some men played campaigning for votes for women,
:20:15. > :20:18.suffragettes in trousers. This was a phrase coined in 1907 by a Member of
:20:19. > :20:21.the men's league for women's suffrage and essentially this
:20:22. > :20:25.exhibition is telling the story of those men, especially the men in
:20:26. > :20:33.Parliament who supported the long campaign for women's suffrage and in
:20:34. > :20:36.Britain. Frederick Pedro and Lawrence later an MP and when the
:20:37. > :20:43.ordeal of force-feeding in jail. He was imprisoned for his supports and
:20:44. > :20:47.there were attempts to bankrupt him and make him liable for the damage
:20:48. > :20:57.that some protests had caused. He was vilified, he had all things
:20:58. > :21:01.Castres masculinity, he was missing is a traitor to the male
:21:02. > :21:07.establishment. George Lansbury stepped down as an MP to force a
:21:08. > :21:11.by-election on votes for women. He decided to stand not as a Labour
:21:12. > :21:18.candidate but as a women's candidate, it was extraordinary at
:21:19. > :21:21.the time. A great opportunity for the Suffrage Society as they'll
:21:22. > :21:25.descended on East London and campaigned on his behalf, day and
:21:26. > :21:30.night to get him re-elected. It doesn't have a happy ending, he was
:21:31. > :21:34.deleted by a few hundred votes by the Conservative and Unionist
:21:35. > :21:38.candidates. He ended up in prison in 1913 for his efforts, quickly
:21:39. > :21:42.released thanks to his former colleagues who campaigned for his
:21:43. > :21:51.release but, he was one of those MPs who really really put their beliefs
:21:52. > :21:57.in women's equality. Although individual MPs backed change, it
:21:58. > :22:04.took until 1917 for Parliament to agree for votes for women in the
:22:05. > :22:07.following year. That is similar to now, there are controversial causes
:22:08. > :22:13.which come up in Parliament brought up by private members of both houses
:22:14. > :22:22.and don't seem to get anywhere which is really frustrating for people who
:22:23. > :22:28.support the change. Perhaps assisted dying and what happens is that you
:22:29. > :22:32.do gets you get movements that say something should change but if the
:22:33. > :22:45.Government of the day is not in favour it is hard to get a
:22:46. > :22:51.controversial measure through. That was the end of a long campaign both
:22:52. > :22:54.in and outside Parliament said people should take courage that if
:22:55. > :23:01.your support gets a majority support it'll happen by or crook. And you
:23:02. > :23:06.can see more on that exhibition at the vote 100 section of the
:23:07. > :23:10.parliament .uk website. Now as is always the way when a parliament
:23:11. > :23:13.comes to a close there are some last-minute bartering between the
:23:14. > :23:18.Government and the opposition to get a handful of bills into law before
:23:19. > :23:21.the election. The controversial higher education and research bill
:23:22. > :23:26.cleared the North of some peers were disappointed that they failed in the
:23:27. > :23:29.end to use it to exclude overseas students from the immigration
:23:30. > :23:34.figures in the UK. The Digital economy Bill was passed by the Lords
:23:35. > :23:38.to, it dealt with broadband services, the BBC and public sector
:23:39. > :23:43.broadcasters and protection for children from online pornography.
:23:44. > :23:48.And that last bit of legislation meant there was one job for
:23:49. > :23:52.Parliament to do. Make sure the bills passed received Royal assent
:23:53. > :23:56.and bring Parliamentary proceedings formally to a close, the ceremony
:23:57. > :23:59.known as prorogation. MPs were summoned to the House of Lords by
:24:00. > :24:08.the parliamentary official Black Rod. The rout.
:24:09. > :24:16.MPs trooped to the Lords for a ceremony led by a five Lords
:24:17. > :24:19.Commissioners. They appeared from various parties who have the
:24:20. > :24:26.ceremonial role of representing the Queen. They were resplendent in red
:24:27. > :24:30.robes and Black tricorn hats which they were required to Duff at
:24:31. > :24:34.various points. Lady Evans the Leader of the Lords is one of the
:24:35. > :24:39.Commissioners. Her Majesty not thinking fit to be personally
:24:40. > :24:43.present here at this time has been pleased to cause a commission to be
:24:44. > :24:46.issued under the great Seal and thereby given her Royal assent
:24:47. > :24:52.diverse acts which have been agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament.
:24:53. > :24:56.Royal assent was given to a number of new laws, the title was read out
:24:57. > :25:00.by the Lord clacks, first name of each bill and then the replies
:25:01. > :25:08.signalling the monarchs approval in the traditional Norman French.
:25:09. > :25:13.Neighbourhood planning act. MPs then made their way slowly back to the
:25:14. > :25:17.Commons where they form an orderly queue to shake the speaker 's hand
:25:18. > :25:22.and make their way out of the chamber. Some of them knowing it is
:25:23. > :25:25.for the final time and awaiting the verdict of the voters. And that
:25:26. > :25:28.brings us to the end of this edition of the programme and this
:25:29. > :25:33.Parliament. We will be back with the new government and the new batch of
:25:34. > :25:36.MPs when they arrive at Westminster after the general election on June
:25:37. > :25:41.the 8th. In the meantime BBC Parliament will have the key
:25:42. > :25:45.speeches from the election in fall and uncut as well as all the big
:25:46. > :25:56.campaign events. But for now from all of us Cabaye.