06/07/2017 Thursday in Parliament

Hello, and welcome to Thursday in Parliament.

Our look at the best of the day in the Commons and Lords.

On this programme, the Government says

is unacceptable that standards in a third of nursing homes

in England have fallen below safe levels.

In some areas it is completely unacceptable that standards in some

cities are below those likely expected by early users and their

families. Claims that the news media

are being too hostile to Brexit. I cannot recall a single instance in

recent times when I have seen good economic news the BBC didn't

describe as despite Brexit. And those maiden speeches

by new MPs, they It is essential that we give people

the tools they need to live their lives to the fool. Lincoln and its

citizens have the hassle of defying the odds. We have a saying.

But first, the quality of care in nursing homes for elderly and

vulnerable people is once again in the spotlight.

After inspecting 24,000 care services in England, the

Care Quality Commission watchdog said it found completely

problems according to the CQC with a third falling short of safety

The report found examples of elderly people being shouted at

humiliated, living in dirty conditions, not receiving adequate

In the Commons, the care minister said he was heartened that

the majority of care was good, but the failures

We have seen the numbers of over 65s increase by nearly 1.2 million, 40%

over the last five years, and today's report shows that in some

areas it is completely unacceptable that standards in some cities are

below those likely expected by Keir users and their families. This

government sees social care as a priority which is why the spring

budget this year than announced additional money to councils over

the next three years to spend on adult social care services. On the

side we have repeatedly raised the damaging aspects of budget cuts, the

?5 billion cut since 2010. Does he now see that this has caused the

crisis in peer staffing which is at the heart of the Porky are being

reported. Poor staff training is a key factor. With social caring

crisis that is not the time to be threatening to stop working with

local councils, so will he reversed the threat and match the Labour

pledge of an extra ?8 million including an extra ?1 billion this

year. Nobody is making any threats. The government has very supportive

of the best performing systems of local government and the NHS working

together to tackle the challenge of delayed transfers of care. We said

we would consider a review of the allocations of social care funding

for the area is properly performing. This funding wall remain with local

government to be used for social care. We obviously recognise there

are real pressures in the system which is why we responded as we did

and I think that party were pleased with that at the time. If I could

just point out that the same report gives 92% good than 3% outstanding

on caring and it comes down to the commitment of staff who sadly have

not been given a breaking of the 1% cap. Obviously what has been raised

as the safety issue with one in four feeling to provide safe care and it

comes down to workforce and funding. Brexit threatens workforce because

as the honourable member said there is a one in four turnover. Funding

has reduced 9% and it is something that has to be tackled. Of the care

homes requiring improvement on the inspection 5% have deteriorated so

what action is the minister taking beyond just inspection to improve

standards? It is an absolutely fair question which is why I said in my

statement that through the dashboard we have picked 12 most challenged

local areas for review. The reviews will cover providers and

commissioners to look at the interface between social care and

general primary care and include an assessment of the governments in

place and management resources. I am sorry to read that it but I wanted

it absolutely clear on the record. I welcome the sea QC inspections

because it is driving up standards and highlighting problems but many

older residents tell me what they want to do is stay in their own

homes for longer. What is the minister doing to help that to

happen tee I thank my right honourable friend for that and it is

exactly why I said this has to be a one system solution and we need the

NHS to work on delayed transfers of care but we need local authorities

to work with us as well. I hope the Minister would agree that these

widespread feel years of care are intolerable in a civilised society,

and does he share my view that they will have to confront the need to

increase taxes to ensure we have an efficient system and witty embrace a

cross-party approach to come up with a long-term approach? Does the

Minister agree it is deeply cynical to pretend there is some financial

issue to this that doesn't involve difficult decisions both within and

across generations. Yes, I do. The many disappointing things about the

recent general election but I can say that one of the more

disappointing things, being serious, one of the more disappointing things

was that the debate in the future of adult social care was reduced to

using the words dementia tax which I think is dead our public life and

this Parliament an enormous disservice and I do think we need to

have a grown-up debate in this country around this issue and that

is why we are going to bring out proposals for consultation. I say

gently to the Minister the only reason the Labour Party was able to

mention dementia tax was because the Conservative Party had put something

stupid in their manifesto. And really, this is far too important a

matter for party politics. The former Conservative leader and

Foreign Secretary Lord Haig has told a group of peers that Brexit

will undoubtedly damage the UK's He's leaving the European

union would also mean the UK having less influence

in the rest of the world. He appearing at a Lords

committee alongside former Nato Secretary-General and a former

EU foreign policy chief. Lord Haig said being

part of the EU had been Brexit will be damaging to our

ability to work with other EU countries, obviously on foreign

affairs and influence they overall. The UK's participation in the

EUforeign affairs helps to keep the whole Western alliance together, and

we have at a time of the danger of fragmentation of the Western world.

We can see that for many reasons and in many ways. As the forthcoming

summit in Germany is demonstrating. And so UK participation in

influencing the foreign affairs of the other EU nations is a crucial

aspect of averting such a fragmentation. How then will Brexit

affect our relationship with the remaining EU countries with regard

to the formulation and exercising foreign policy? The most fundamental

issue is that in the process of working up the way in which policy

is developed and determining what Europe's policy will be, we want to

be in the room to either influence it in one way or another, and

that'll be a loss to the European Union and potentially lost to our

capacity to develop policy. Brexit changes the political relationship

with the EU, it doesn't change their geography or the nature of the

common threats that we face. And in many ways, it doesn't affect the

corporation that is essential on handling the future of security

threats as well. With American foreign policy veering

slightly away from the old relationship, Europe is going to

have to do more in terms of capability in terms of exercise and

in terms of political priority, and therefore we need to be part of

that, and the reality is today and for the future, UDP and defence

actually as Britain and France. That's what it is. These are the

only two countries with the capability and the headquarters and

the ability to do things. So how we move forward on that is going to be

complex and difficult. Speaking as someone not in favour of leaving the

EU but effects we are doing, it is true that they will want our

participation, our support. We do have the biggest military budget in

the EU and the biggest development budget by some distance, and one of

the equal biggest diplomatic network and a seat on the UN Security

Council, and so there are many things that can't effectively be

done by Europe without some degree of participation and support from

the United Kingdom. And therefore the degree to which it is damaging

depends on what we put in place to enable the maximum cooperation, and

I think that will require a lot of political commitment by ministers

but also a specific framework designed for this purpose. Can you

say something about the influence on the rest of the world? Are you

saying that our influence will be diminished not just in Europe but

when we go and talk to the United States, if we are not a member of

the European Union two or our influence at the UN will be

diminished. I think it necessarily follows that if you are less

influential and grafting the overall approach of the EU you end up with

this influence on the rest of the world and I think there will be less

solidarity with Britain invoked that the United Nations. We cannot simply

depend on institutional relationships, because if you are

not in the room then you are not part of the framework at the

beginning, the concept of operations, if its military

operations, and the exit strategy, and that is where we are bound to

lose traction. And Lord Hague said some

sort of post-Brexit And enhanced framework participation

agreement between the UK and the EU on foreign affairs. Something of

that kind would mitigate the damage that will undoubtedly because.

The Lords committee discussing Brexit, but our journalists being

too gloomy over Brexit's Commons leader Andrea Leadsom said recently

on BBC's new site that she wished broadcasters could be a bit more

Now her Cabinet colleague Liam Fox has accused media

organisations of not wanting to see Brexit succeed.

His remarks in the Commons followed a question from a

I think the potential for trade with Commonwealth countries is very

exciting but every time I open a newspaper or listen to the radio

or TV, the story is done very negatively that it will be

impossible to do these trade deals. Mr Speaker, it does appear that some

elements of our media would rather see Britain fail than

see Brexit succeed. I cannot recall a single time

in recent times when I have seen good economic news that the BBC

didn't describe as despite Brexit. This front bench team must know that

a silly attack on the BBC cannot be used as an excuse for policy. This

is a Secretary of State who has refused to meet the all-party

manufacturing group. Can I tell him from the manufacturers I know that

they have no confidence in the Secretary of State, living in cloud

cuckoo land, they think he is not confident and want his resignation.

I will take note of his comments. The members only Conservative

backbencher desperate for the Secretary of State to give us more

confidence that they will massively increased trade and the common law,

but he is wise not to do so in that Australia and Canada collectively

account for less than 5% of their exports. With research showing the

most enduring statistic is that trade halves every time the distance

between nations doubles, isn't it foolhardy far as to be turning away

from close of trading partners and the lying on increasing trade with

countries so very far away? I am sorry to hear that the lack of

understanding of how the modern economy works, because particularly

countries which have large proportion of their trade in

services, services trade does not depend upon distance, and in fact,

what we need to have is an increasingly close cooperation with

countries that are similar to ours in terms of their economic status,

not necessarily geographically proximate.

You're watching our round-up of the day in the Commons and the lords.

Still to come, the closure of job centres north of the border.

The Minister for equalities has told MPs there

will be no backsliding on

rights for lesbian, gay and transgender people by this

During Commons questions, MPs expressed concern

that equalities policies could come under pressure following the

Conservative's confidence and supply deal struck with Northern Ireland's

DUP representatives have described homosexuality as repulsive, wrong,

vile, immoral, offensive and obnoxious.

Does the Minister agree that it is these hateful remarks

themselves that are repulsive, wrong, vile, immoral, offensive and

And they should have no place in our politics let alone in

The DUP once ran a campaign called save also from

Isn't it time to save Ulster from bigotry?

The views that she set out are absolutely not ones

that I agree with or indeed I think our shared by this house.

As I said to her, I think it is important that

the way in which we have this debate and progress continued improvements

in LGBT rights, women's rights, in the rights of disabled

All sorts of people who face discrimination

in our country is in ameasured fashion.

Where we can find some consensus, we will steadily win

Equality and tolerance are important British

Will the Minister work to overturn the ongoing

ban on equal marriage in

Northern Ireland, or does she believe that ?1 billion is a fair

price to pay for selling of these fundamental values?

I think we have to fundimentally win the argument on LGBT rights.

This is something that needs to take place across our country, including

There is a democratic Northern Ireland assembly

and I think it is a debate that we all need to engage in, but I think

it is one that we see progress made in over many, many years.

She sets out that there is a lot of progress to

I have spoken to my party leader, who is a woman and my

closest colleague in MLA, who just happens to be a woman.

And my most senior member of staff, my close

adviser and shockingly is also a woman.

Equality and rights in their party, they seem to be satisfied.

Subsequently, I would ask the Minister 's question.

I wonder what discussions have been held with

Labour's sister party the SDLP, who hold many of the same moral

issue stances that we hold, which is what

I believe this question is ready seeking to highlight.

I think he sets out that there is a discussion

and debate to be had across political parties both here in this

Parliament, but also in Northern Ireland.

That is a debate and discussion that I welcome.

Can I join everybody in this house in

wishing all those celebrating London Pride this weekend a happy Pride.

Despite a number of promises during the election

campaign on the need to

strengthen and protect equality legislation,

there is no commitment in this year's Queen speech.

People across the country have deep concerns that the Tory backbench

deal with the DUP could undermine, halt or damage equality here in the

What assurances will the Minister provide that progress on a

quality will not be sidelined for political expediency?

I think I have given those assurances on a number

I will be very happy to come to this dispatch box and

continue to give them because I think they are important.

Later, the Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke was called to

the Commons to explain the Government's decision to close ten

job centres across Scotland, including six in Glasgow.

Ministers say online applications meant that

More than 70 Jobcentres are being closed across the United Kingdom,

Compassionate conservativism lasted fully two days.

There should have been a statement at a vote in this

Does the Secretary of State accept that there

is a direct link with the index of multiple deprivation

and those job centres earmarked for closure?

Will he publish an impact on the quality

assessment, particularly on those with disabilities and those

It will be the case after these reforms have been completed that

there will be a reduction in the number of job centres

in Glasgow, that Glasgow will still have more

job centres per head of population than any other city in the United

It is also the case that a number of the Glasgow job centres

It is therefore sensible that we rationalise this estate and can

In some cases, what we need is much improved

job centres with improved facilities, greater capability of

That is exactly what this strategy involves.

Having conducted a survey outside Batley

Jobcentre, I know that the majority of users actually walk there often

everyday to use the computers to look for jobs.

With Batley's closing they will have to work to Dewsbury.

A journey of 20 minutes if you are able bodied.

So can the Secretary of State confirm whether new

sanctioning guidance will be provided for those who are late or

We don't expect people to miss appointments.

It is the case that as I say, people who

are looking for jobs are expected to spend 35

That should enable them to travel from Batley to Dewsbury in

As I say, we would expect people to make

appointments, but we would look at the individual circumstances if

somebody has missed an appointment to see if we can take into account

whether there has been any mitigating factors.

The more serious issue ahead is making sure we have

got the right resources in the Jobcentre plus

for the expanded role of

Universal Credit that is starting next year.

I think my honourable friend hits the nail on the head,

It is very important that we have got job

centres that are able to deal with the new and important role in terms

of providing the support that claimants need, having worked

coaches in place, having those facilities and sometimes that

requires new estate, new improve estates.

We shouldn't be stuck on where the footprint that we happen

The class of 2017 continues to make itself

Brand-new MPs have been making their maiden speeches in the

I'm also thankful for my honourable friends for gathering around me

like a protective huddle of penguins, I very much appreciate it.

We must be realistic, pragmatic and determined about how

we best shape this country as we leave

But too often debate on how we do this is infected

by corrosive pessimism that betrays a lack of confidence in our nation

As a local councillor, I have also witnessed the impact

of cuts to local council budgets and how

austerity for some has caused untold misery for the many and not a few.

At the beginning of the General Election campaign, it was unclear

whether I would be standing here today making a speech, but Lincoln

and its citizens have a history of defying the odds.

From the development in the first tank in

World War I, by a determined group of engineers, to the recent runaway

success of Lincoln City's football club, the Imps, who took the fight

in the FA Cup to the Emirates Stadium last

proud history of going the extra mile.

I want to quote in Gaelic to amuse your good selves, Mr Speaker,

The mighty cairn is built of Little stones.

I do hope Mr Speaker that this particular

stone, myself, may play a suitable part in the mighty cairn that is

It is essential that we give people the

tools that they need to live their lives to the full.

When I have worked with people in various jobs

who are receiving benefits or support from charity, that is what

They want support to do things for themselves.

Not a hand-out, as some members of this

house and the media, might have you believe.

Some of the new members of the Commons.

The issue of male MPs wearing ties in the Commons has been

Last week, the Speaker, John Barker, said he was

prepared to relax the rule on the compulsory

wearing of ties in the

At the start of the week, the transport Minister John Hayes

declared that he wouldn't take interventions from sartorially

challenged MPs who were not wearing ties.

That prompted this response from the Lib Dem MP, who first asked

the Speaker if the tie rule could be dropped.

You were not in the chair on Monday and may not

have heard the Minister of State for transport,

who said that he would not take interventions from anybody who

Given your pronouncements on this matter,

Mr Speaker, do you think there is a risk of a slippery slope which might

lead that member to refuse to take interventions from members who are

sartorially challenged in other ways, such as wearing a gaudy tie,

I'd welcome your advice on this matter, Mr

I rather thought that what he had to say on this matter was

proffered in his characteristically jocular fashion.

However, insofar as I could be staged to have received

an application from the Right Honourable gentleman by virtue of

his pronouncements for the role of style

right honourable gentleman and all members of the house that I have

filed the application for the right honourable

member for that post in

The Speaker clarifying the position, I think.

To join me for the week in Parliament when we not only look

back at the last few days in the Commons and the Lords,

but also discussed what the agreement between

the DUP and the Conservative Government means for the future of

For now, for me Keith McDougall, goodbye.