Browse content similar to 02/11/2017. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Hello, and welcome to Thursday
in Parliament, our look at the best | 0:00:21 | 0:00:24 | |
of the day in the Commons
and the Lords. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:26 | |
Once again, the issue of harassment
looms large in Westminster. | 0:00:26 | 0:00:33 | |
We will work with any colleagues
across the House to make sure that | 0:00:33 | 0:00:36 | |
we seize this opportunity to get it
right once and for all. | 0:00:36 | 0:00:41 | |
MPs are told the Brexit impact
studies, which were the centre | 0:00:41 | 0:00:43 | |
of debate on Wednesday,
will be made available | 0:00:43 | 0:00:45 | |
as soon as conceivable. | 0:00:45 | 0:00:46 | |
And are you desperate
for a copy of the bible | 0:00:46 | 0:00:49 | |
of parliamentary procedure? | 0:00:49 | 0:00:55 | |
The people of this country are
demanding it be made available | 0:00:55 | 0:00:58 | |
without having to buy a copy of the
book. | 0:00:58 | 0:01:03 | |
But first, MPs were back
at Westminster a little over 12 | 0:01:03 | 0:01:05 | |
hours after the surprise news
that the Defence | 0:01:05 | 0:01:07 | |
Secretary had resigned. | 0:01:07 | 0:01:08 | |
Sir Michael Fallon said his past
behaviour may have "fallen short" | 0:01:08 | 0:01:11 | |
of the standards expected
by the British armed forces. | 0:01:11 | 0:01:13 | |
The new Defence Secretary was named | 0:01:13 | 0:01:15 | |
as Gavin Williamson,
who had been in charge of party | 0:01:15 | 0:01:17 | |
discipline as Chief Whip. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:18 | |
He's been described as a rising
star, who's trusted by Number Ten. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:22 | |
As Gavin Williamson was settling
himself in at the Ministry | 0:01:22 | 0:01:24 | |
of Defence, in the Commons the issue
of harassment was still | 0:01:24 | 0:01:27 | |
a main talking point. | 0:01:27 | 0:01:29 | |
At her weekly question session,
the Leader of the House again | 0:01:29 | 0:01:32 | |
broached the subject. | 0:01:32 | 0:01:33 | |
This has been a difficult
week for Parliament. | 0:01:33 | 0:01:36 | |
But it has been even harder
for those who have come | 0:01:36 | 0:01:40 | |
forward to report their experiences
of inappropriate behaviour, | 0:01:40 | 0:01:42 | |
harassment or abuse. | 0:01:42 | 0:01:46 | |
Their experiences are
why we need to change. | 0:01:46 | 0:01:49 | |
As I said on Monday,
it is a right, not | 0:01:49 | 0:01:52 | |
a privilege, to work
in | 0:01:52 | 0:01:54 | |
a safe and respectful environment. | 0:01:54 | 0:01:58 | |
The Prime Minister has written
to all party leaders, | 0:01:58 | 0:02:03 | |
and I'm pleased to say they have
all agreed to meet | 0:02:03 | 0:02:06 | |
to discuss a common,
transparent and independent | 0:02:06 | 0:02:16 | |
But a change of culture
could take longer. | 0:02:20 | 0:02:22 | |
That must be done by
education and training. | 0:02:22 | 0:02:24 | |
Every member, every employee,
should go on an equality | 0:02:24 | 0:02:26 | |
training course. | 0:02:26 | 0:02:27 | |
For new MPs it could be part
of the induction process. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:30 | |
Existing members of staff
should also undergo this. | 0:02:30 | 0:02:32 | |
There are outside
organisations who do this. | 0:02:32 | 0:02:38 | |
Will the Leader
of the House confirm | 0:02:38 | 0:02:40 | |
measures for the House and ensure
that the equalities and human rights | 0:02:40 | 0:02:43 | |
commission have the resources to
support this education and training? | 0:02:43 | 0:02:53 | |
Can I congratulate the Leader
of the House for her | 0:02:53 | 0:02:55 | |
leadership that she has shown
on the sexual harassment issue? | 0:02:55 | 0:02:58 | |
We will work with her
to put together this | 0:02:58 | 0:03:00 | |
independent grievance procedure
so that everybody will have a safe | 0:03:00 | 0:03:02 | |
place to raise these complaints. | 0:03:02 | 0:03:03 | |
It is encouraging to see
people now coming forward, | 0:03:03 | 0:03:05 | |
and firm and decisive | 0:03:06 | 0:03:07 | |
action being taken. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:08 | |
Does she agree with me this
is a real opportunity | 0:03:08 | 0:03:10 | |
to effectively tackle the in-built
patriarchal hierarchy in this | 0:03:10 | 0:03:12 | |
institution and the unsavoury
entitlement culture that still | 0:03:12 | 0:03:14 | |
pervades these corridors of power? | 0:03:14 | 0:03:21 | |
Any review should carefully consider | 0:03:21 | 0:03:23 | |
other legislatures and what the HR
processes, hiring processes, and | 0:03:23 | 0:03:26 | |
staff grievance processes of other
legislatures around the world are | 0:03:26 | 0:03:28 | |
and we can maybe learn from them? | 0:03:28 | 0:03:30 | |
My honourable friend
is raising a very | 0:03:30 | 0:03:32 | |
interesting point and of course as
we look at how best we can improve | 0:03:32 | 0:03:39 | |
taxpayers' value for money, at
the same time as using best practice | 0:03:39 | 0:03:43 | |
from around the world in HR
processes, we will of course look at | 0:03:43 | 0:03:47 | |
other legislatures,
and in particular | 0:03:47 | 0:03:48 | |
regard to resolving
the | 0:03:48 | 0:03:51 | |
issue around keeping
people safe at work | 0:03:51 | 0:03:54 | |
it would be essential
that we | 0:03:54 | 0:03:55 | |
look at what is done elsewhere. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:57 | |
On the issue of
standards, I am deeply | 0:03:57 | 0:03:59 | |
concerned about the bullying
culture within Parliament. | 0:03:59 | 0:04:02 | |
It is an issue that was
dismissed by Mr Speaker | 0:04:02 | 0:04:06 | |
when I previously have raised it
with him, determining it | 0:04:06 | 0:04:09 | |
to be a woman's issue. | 0:04:09 | 0:04:11 | |
It clearly isn't. | 0:04:11 | 0:04:15 | |
This is vital that in this
opportunity that we address the | 0:04:15 | 0:04:18 | |
issue of bullying and that we bring
forward mandatory training for | 0:04:18 | 0:04:20 | |
everyone in this House. | 0:04:20 | 0:04:24 | |
Can I say I absolutely
agree with the honourable | 0:04:24 | 0:04:27 | |
lady, and will happily work with any
colleagues across the House in | 0:04:27 | 0:04:32 | |
making sure that we seize this
opportunity to put things right and | 0:04:32 | 0:04:37 | |
get it right, once and for all,
and that there is nobody left out of | 0:04:37 | 0:04:41 | |
that. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:42 | |
So all political parties,
those with no political party, all | 0:04:42 | 0:04:46 | |
those who work in this place,
and who come here to help us, | 0:04:46 | 0:04:49 | |
as perhaps temporary work
placements, | 0:04:49 | 0:04:52 | |
interns, and so on, so that we get
this right, once for all. | 0:04:52 | 0:04:59 | |
The Brexit Secretary David Davis has
said the Government intends to be | 0:04:59 | 0:05:02 | |
"as open as we can be" over
the release of its | 0:05:02 | 0:05:05 | |
Brexit impact studies. | 0:05:05 | 0:05:08 | |
On Wednesday Labour used an arcane
parliamentary procedure to pass | 0:05:08 | 0:05:13 | |
a motion calling for them to be
released to the Commons | 0:05:13 | 0:05:15 | |
committee on exiting the EU. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
The 58 studies show the potential
effects of Brexit on different | 0:05:18 | 0:05:20 | |
industrial sectors. | 0:05:20 | 0:05:30 | |
When will the papers be handed over?
The Right honourable gentleman was | 0:05:36 | 0:05:45 | |
present for yesterday's debate. I
said that we would respond | 0:05:45 | 0:05:49 | |
appropriately and we will do as soon
as possible. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:58 | |
A Labour MP raised the issue | 0:05:58 | 0:05:59 | |
with the Brexit Secretary. | 0:05:59 | 0:06:00 | |
Quoting Conservative
backbencher, Jacob Rees-Mogg. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:05 | |
Does he agree that the papers must
be given to the Select Committee, or | 0:06:05 | 0:06:09 | |
does he not trust the Select
Committee? I missed a very good | 0:06:09 | 0:06:13 | |
debate yesterday. I have already
spoken to the chairman of the Select | 0:06:13 | 0:06:21 | |
Committee. He sends his apologies
for not being here today. I am | 0:06:21 | 0:06:27 | |
organising to talk to him about how
we handle confidentiality of the | 0:06:27 | 0:06:32 | |
documentation or handover. I will
reiterate what was said by my | 0:06:32 | 0:06:36 | |
honourable friend, these documents
are not some sort of grand plan, | 0:06:36 | 0:06:41 | |
they are data about regulations and
markets of individual sectors, and | 0:06:41 | 0:06:45 | |
of course we will be as open as we
can be with the Select Committee. | 0:06:45 | 0:06:51 | |
But later the shadow Leader
of the Commons pressed | 0:06:51 | 0:06:53 | |
for a definite date
for the release of the studies. | 0:06:53 | 0:06:58 | |
The minister yesterday said members
of the Government are first and | 0:06:59 | 0:07:02 | |
foremost parliamentarians, but they
don't want to listen to Parliament. | 0:07:02 | 0:07:05 | |
He said, in the cool light of
tomorrow we will revisit exactly | 0:07:05 | 0:07:09 | |
what was said in Hansard. In the
cool later today the Minister got up | 0:07:09 | 0:07:13 | |
this morning and said, in due
course. It is accepted that the | 0:07:13 | 0:07:18 | |
motion passed by the House yesterday
as binding and the information will | 0:07:18 | 0:07:23 | |
be forthcoming, but as has been made
very clear, it is the case that it | 0:07:23 | 0:07:26 | |
is difficult to balance the
conflicting obligation to protect | 0:07:26 | 0:07:33 | |
the public interest through not
disclosing information that could | 0:07:33 | 0:07:39 | |
harm the national interest and the
public interest, whilst at the same | 0:07:39 | 0:07:43 | |
time ensuring that the resolution
that the House passed yesterday is | 0:07:43 | 0:07:46 | |
adhered to. Deeply unsatisfactory,
that has brought shame on this House | 0:07:46 | 0:07:56 | |
once again. There is no doubt that
this is binding and I am grateful to | 0:07:56 | 0:08:00 | |
see the leader of the host
confirming that today. To we | 0:08:00 | 0:08:03 | |
therefore need today is a clear and
an ambiguous statement from the | 0:08:03 | 0:08:07 | |
Government that that accepts what
was decided last night, without | 0:08:07 | 0:08:11 | |
qualification. Just hand the papers
over the committee. If it does not | 0:08:11 | 0:08:18 | |
do this, as you said, Mr Speaker,
the Government will be in contempt | 0:08:18 | 0:08:22 | |
of this House. But that happens we
will be bringing proceedings to hold | 0:08:22 | 0:08:26 | |
them to account on that very basis. | 0:08:26 | 0:08:28 | |
Well, a short time later,
peers asked if the impact | 0:08:28 | 0:08:31 | |
assessments would also be made
available to the House of Lords | 0:08:31 | 0:08:33 | |
European Union Select Committee. | 0:08:33 | 0:08:39 | |
David Davis has appeared before us
on the European Union Select | 0:08:39 | 0:08:43 | |
Committee three times since the
Brexit fought and on more than one | 0:08:43 | 0:08:47 | |
occasion he has promised parity of
information for as and also the | 0:08:47 | 0:08:51 | |
committee in the House of Commons.
We have now published 20 reports and | 0:08:51 | 0:08:56 | |
there are more in the pipeline,
therefore we are in a high state of | 0:08:56 | 0:09:01 | |
knowledge about sectoral issues. Can
I ask the Minister to go further in | 0:09:01 | 0:09:05 | |
saying he will have a discussion
with our chairman about things, but | 0:09:05 | 0:09:10 | |
actually to undertake that we will
receive the same information as the | 0:09:10 | 0:09:14 | |
committee in the House of Commons?
As I said, we still need to have | 0:09:14 | 0:09:19 | |
further discussions with the
chairman of the Brexit Select | 0:09:19 | 0:09:23 | |
Committee in another place. We will
of course reflect further following | 0:09:23 | 0:09:27 | |
those discussions on what
information we will want to provide | 0:09:27 | 0:09:30 | |
to comply with the motion. I have
undertaken to have a similar | 0:09:30 | 0:09:34 | |
discussion with the chairman of the
committee in this place. I do not | 0:09:34 | 0:09:37 | |
want to go further than that at the
moment. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:39 | |
Lord Callanan. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:42 | |
You're watching Tuesday
in Parliament, with me, Mandy Baker. | 0:09:42 | 0:09:44 | |
If you want to catch
up with all the news | 0:09:44 | 0:09:47 | |
from Westminster on the go,
don't forget our sister programme, | 0:09:47 | 0:09:49 | |
Today in Parliament,
is available as a download | 0:09:49 | 0:09:51 | |
via the BBC Radio 4 Website. | 0:09:51 | 0:09:57 | |
Prosecutors in Madrid have jailed
eight sacked members of Catalonia's | 0:09:57 | 0:10:00 | |
regional government over their role
in October's disputed | 0:10:00 | 0:10:02 | |
independence referendum. | 0:10:02 | 0:10:08 | |
Spain has been gripped
by a constitutional crisis | 0:10:08 | 0:10:11 | |
since a referendum on independence
was held on October 1st in defiance | 0:10:11 | 0:10:14 | |
of a constitutional court ruling
that declared it illegal. | 0:10:14 | 0:10:18 | |
In the Commons, a Plaid Cymru MP
asked an urgent question | 0:10:18 | 0:10:20 | |
about the situation. | 0:10:20 | 0:10:25 | |
In this situation the UK Government
has a responsibility and an | 0:10:25 | 0:10:27 | |
opportunity. | 0:10:27 | 0:10:28 | |
Firstly it must do all it can
to ensure the safety and | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
security of UK citizens
living in Catalonia. | 0:10:31 | 0:10:39 | |
Secondly, as a leading
European power, member | 0:10:39 | 0:10:45 | |
of the Council of Europe, of the EU,
of Nato, and the United Nations | 0:10:45 | 0:10:49 | |
Security Council, this is happening
in our neighbourhood. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:50 | |
Thirdly, the UK Government has
recent experience of | 0:10:50 | 0:10:53 | |
an independence referendum carried
out here in Scotland largely by | 0:10:53 | 0:10:56 | |
agreement. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:57 | |
We have some advice to offer. | 0:10:57 | 0:10:58 | |
And of course, the hard-won peace
agreement in Northern Ireland, | 0:10:58 | 0:11:08 | |
rests partly on the opportunity
for all to have their say in a | 0:11:10 | 0:11:13 | |
referendum. | 0:11:13 | 0:11:14 | |
In the debate on Catalonia
on the 10th of October, | 0:11:14 | 0:11:16 | |
the minister replying
said that no request | 0:11:16 | 0:11:18 | |
for advice had been made
by | 0:11:18 | 0:11:20 | |
the Spanish government and none
offered by the UK Government. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:22 | |
I ask that that offer be made. | 0:11:22 | 0:11:24 | |
Mr Speaker, I do not
share the honourable | 0:11:24 | 0:11:28 | |
gentleman's view of how Britain
should take an interest in the | 0:11:28 | 0:11:30 | |
internal affairs of Spain. | 0:11:30 | 0:11:31 | |
It is an internal matter. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:33 | |
It is a legal matter. | 0:11:33 | 0:11:38 | |
In the same way as we held
an independence referendum, it was | 0:11:38 | 0:11:42 | |
within the law, whereas in the case
of Spain it is not. | 0:11:42 | 0:11:47 | |
In respect of UK citizens,
I believe I am right in saying | 0:11:47 | 0:11:51 | |
that we have had no reported
consular problems | 0:11:51 | 0:11:53 | |
and I hope that remains the case. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:55 | |
We are currently in a very
dangerous position. | 0:11:55 | 0:11:58 | |
The future of Catalonia | 0:11:58 | 0:11:59 | |
has been turned
into a binary choice. | 0:11:59 | 0:12:02 | |
That is a false choice,
an impossible choice, between on the | 0:12:02 | 0:12:05 | |
one hand, a unilateral declaration
of independence, and on the other, | 0:12:05 | 0:12:07 | |
direct rule from Madrid. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:10 | |
I do not believe that either
of these choices offers | 0:12:10 | 0:12:12 | |
a satisfactory solution
to this | 0:12:12 | 0:12:14 | |
crisis. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:15 | |
And I do not believe that either
choice is what the majority | 0:12:15 | 0:12:18 | |
of Catalans or Spaniards
actually want. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:20 | |
I believe that what the majority
want to see is a peaceful, | 0:12:20 | 0:12:23 | |
sensible dialogue
between the parties to try | 0:12:23 | 0:12:25 | |
and find a resolution. | 0:12:25 | 0:12:28 | |
That is what the Socialist party of
Catalonia supports and the Socialist | 0:12:28 | 0:12:31 | |
party of Spain. | 0:12:31 | 0:12:34 | |
We support our sister
parties in that endeavour. | 0:12:34 | 0:12:38 | |
But what we are currently seeing,
both in the Government of Spain, and | 0:12:38 | 0:12:44 | |
the Government of Catalonia,
is far from peaceful and sensible | 0:12:44 | 0:12:46 | |
dialogue as it is possible to get. | 0:12:46 | 0:12:48 | |
We call on both sides
to step back, to ease the | 0:12:48 | 0:12:51 | |
confrontational rhetoric
and heavy-handed tactics, and start | 0:12:51 | 0:12:52 | |
listening to what the majority
of people in Spain and Catalonia | 0:12:52 | 0:12:56 | |
actually want, which is peace,
dialogue and an end to division. | 0:12:56 | 0:13:00 | |
What is the UK Government
doing to promote this? | 0:13:00 | 0:13:04 | |
Or does Brexit suck such life
from our ability to make | 0:13:04 | 0:13:07 | |
any influence in Europe
that the honest answer is not a lot? | 0:13:07 | 0:13:11 | |
I agree with the second
part of the right | 0:13:11 | 0:13:15 | |
honourable lady's response,
which is as usual, not a lot, | 0:13:15 | 0:13:21 | |
which is that this was illegal,
and against the | 0:13:21 | 0:13:23 | |
rule of law. | 0:13:23 | 0:13:25 | |
But I do however disagree
with her in the way she portrays | 0:13:25 | 0:13:28 | |
this as a choice. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:30 | |
This is not a binary
choice, as the right | 0:13:30 | 0:13:32 | |
honourable lady describes. | 0:13:32 | 0:13:33 | |
It is a binary choice
between upholding the | 0:13:33 | 0:13:38 | |
rule of law or not. | 0:13:38 | 0:13:44 | |
MPs have urged the Government
to offer sanctuary to more | 0:13:44 | 0:13:47 | |
unaccompanied child refugees
in Europe - in time for Christmas. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:50 | |
Concerns were raised about children
living in the "Jungle" | 0:13:50 | 0:13:53 | |
migrant camp in Calais,
which has since been cleared. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:57 | |
Under the Dublin III European
Agreement the UK accepts refugees | 0:13:57 | 0:14:00 | |
who have relatives in Britain. | 0:14:00 | 0:14:01 | |
In another scheme,
the UK promised to take | 0:14:01 | 0:14:04 | |
children who'd arrived
- alone - in places such | 0:14:04 | 0:14:06 | |
as Greece or Italy. | 0:14:06 | 0:14:08 | |
MPs had hoped that 3,000
children would be resettled, | 0:14:08 | 0:14:10 | |
under what's called the Dubs scheme. | 0:14:10 | 0:14:14 | |
But the figure so far is 200
and ministers say the UK can only | 0:14:14 | 0:14:18 | |
accept a further 280 youngsters. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:20 | |
In Calais, still, children
are sleeping outdoors. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:23 | |
At the mercy of the elements and,
dare I say, the police. | 0:14:23 | 0:14:27 | |
Because the official shelter
that the French government have | 0:14:27 | 0:14:29 | |
provided can only have 60. | 0:14:29 | 0:14:31 | |
In Greece, over 1800
children are waiting | 0:14:31 | 0:14:33 | |
for space in such a shelter. | 0:14:33 | 0:14:35 | |
And, when they make it,
they'll actually find | 0:14:35 | 0:14:41 | |
it is actually a disused prison. | 0:14:41 | 0:14:43 | |
In Italy, the situation
is even more chaotic. | 0:14:43 | 0:14:46 | |
Whilst I understand our ability
to influence local arrangements | 0:14:46 | 0:14:48 | |
in those countries is limited,
we do have a responsibility to set | 0:14:48 | 0:14:51 | |
clear parameters with our foreign
counterparts to allow them | 0:14:51 | 0:14:53 | |
to rapidly identify every child
who might be eligible | 0:14:53 | 0:14:59 | |
for Dubs or Dublin. | 0:14:59 | 0:15:01 | |
She said the remaining 280 places
under the Dubs scheme should be | 0:15:01 | 0:15:04 | |
filled as soon as possible. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:05 | |
Can we aim for the end of the year? | 0:15:05 | 0:15:07 | |
Call me sentimental,
but can we aim for Christmas? | 0:15:07 | 0:15:10 | |
But this debate
isn't just about Dubs. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:12 | |
I'm also seeking reassurance
on what happens to Dublin III once | 0:15:12 | 0:15:15 | |
we leave the EU and its legislation. | 0:15:15 | 0:15:18 | |
Despite textbook policy
suggesting our domestic asylum | 0:15:18 | 0:15:21 | |
legislation should already allow
unaccompanied child refugees to be | 0:15:21 | 0:15:23 | |
reunited with their wider family,
their grandparents, siblings, | 0:15:23 | 0:15:26 | |
uncles, aunts, in practice
this is not happening. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:29 | |
What the concern is today is that
Britain is still falling short | 0:15:29 | 0:15:34 | |
on what it can do for these children
and it is nine-year-olds sleeping | 0:15:34 | 0:15:37 | |
in bushes, in Calais,
sleeping without shelters, | 0:15:37 | 0:15:47 | |
in Greece, in Italy that
are paying the price. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:50 | |
These are our children
to take responsibility for, | 0:15:50 | 0:15:52 | |
to work with the Greek authorities
to work with the | 0:15:52 | 0:15:54 | |
Italian authorities. | 0:15:54 | 0:15:55 | |
The minister is shaking his head. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:57 | |
Is he really saying he can be proud
of the country that looks | 0:15:57 | 0:16:02 | |
at children sleeping under
the bushes without proper shelter | 0:16:02 | 0:16:04 | |
and care and says it's
somebody's else's problem, | 0:16:04 | 0:16:08 | |
nothing to do with us. | 0:16:08 | 0:16:10 | |
I understand that honourable members
of this house who, like me, | 0:16:10 | 0:16:12 | |
are deeply concerned
about the plight of all refugees | 0:16:12 | 0:16:14 | |
across the whole wide world,
50 million people have been | 0:16:14 | 0:16:17 | |
displaced by conflict. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:18 | |
Yes, we've taken 3000. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:19 | |
But what is the right number of
children to take if it's not 3000. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:23 | |
Is it 30,000? | 0:16:23 | 0:16:24 | |
Is it 300,000? | 0:16:24 | 0:16:25 | |
Should we take all the children
across the whole of Europe? | 0:16:25 | 0:16:27 | |
Or just children who have
a connection to Britain? | 0:16:27 | 0:16:29 | |
And I think the right policy,
is that we should do our bit | 0:16:29 | 0:16:33 | |
particularly on reunification. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:34 | |
I don't agree that we can be
responsible for all the refugees, | 0:16:34 | 0:16:38 | |
all the children
across the whole of Europe. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:40 | |
We can't take in every child. | 0:16:40 | 0:16:42 | |
I'll tell you why. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:47 | |
I get complaints from my
constituents in Kent that we have | 0:16:47 | 0:16:50 | |
about a quarter of the unaccompanied
asylum seeking children | 0:16:50 | 0:16:52 | |
in the whole of this country. | 0:16:52 | 0:16:55 | |
And they are concerned
about the pressure on public | 0:16:55 | 0:16:57 | |
services that that places on Kent. | 0:16:57 | 0:16:59 | |
The Minister said the UK
was working with France | 0:16:59 | 0:17:01 | |
to implement the Dubs scheme. | 0:17:01 | 0:17:06 | |
We do work closely with France
to deliver and transfer 480 | 0:17:06 | 0:17:09 | |
unaccompanied children from Europe
to the UK under section 67 | 0:17:09 | 0:17:13 | |
of the 2016 immigration act,
quite the opposite of what some | 0:17:13 | 0:17:16 | |
members this afternoon said
about that process having stopped. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:18 | |
It hasn't. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:21 | |
It never has. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:22 | |
It is still open. | 0:17:22 | 0:17:31 | |
Will he then agree now to contact
local councils across the country | 0:17:31 | 0:17:38 | |
and ask them what further places
they could provide under the Dubs | 0:17:38 | 0:17:42 | |
scheme for next year. As I've just
said, the court has outlined that | 0:17:42 | 0:17:49 | |
the process used is lawful. Children
have arrived in recent weeks from | 0:17:49 | 0:17:54 | |
France and we've been working with
Greece as well for that safe | 0:17:54 | 0:18:00 | |
transfer of eligible children to the
UK and Rishi expect further | 0:18:00 | 0:18:04 | |
referrals in the coming weeks. | 0:18:04 | 0:18:06 | |
He added that the UK couldn't | 0:18:06 | 0:18:08 | |
simply remove children | 0:18:08 | 0:18:09 | |
from other countries -
it had to respect their sovereignty | 0:18:09 | 0:18:11 | |
and child protection laws. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:13 | |
Next year it will be the centenary
of the first British | 0:18:13 | 0:18:16 | |
women to get the vote. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:18 | |
It was in 1918 the Representation
of the People Act was passed, | 0:18:18 | 0:18:21 | |
allowing women over the age of 30
who met a property qualification | 0:18:21 | 0:18:24 | |
to have a say in General Elections. | 0:18:24 | 0:18:26 | |
The Government has already
established a five million pound | 0:18:26 | 0:18:29 | |
fund to support projects
to mark the anniversary. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:31 | |
Have the government got
any more broad ideas, | 0:18:31 | 0:18:37 | |
both here in Parliament about how
they will celebrate the role | 0:18:37 | 0:18:40 | |
of women in public life
over the last 100 years, | 0:18:40 | 0:18:43 | |
perhaps to encourage
more to come forward. | 0:18:43 | 0:18:47 | |
Well, on that last point
the government will certainly be | 0:18:47 | 0:18:53 | |
thinking about how they can
celebrate the role of women | 0:18:53 | 0:18:55 | |
both in Parliament and more
broadly in public life. | 0:18:55 | 0:19:01 | |
A former Conservative cabinet
minister was in mischievious mood. | 0:19:01 | 0:19:05 | |
Would we take the opportunity
of the centenary to reflect | 0:19:05 | 0:19:07 | |
on the fact that the bending
government refuse to give women | 0:19:07 | 0:19:10 | |
the vote because they were worried
that they would lose the votes | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
the votes of the men. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:16 | |
My noble friend is
absolutely correct. | 0:19:16 | 0:19:19 | |
Lady Williams. | 0:19:19 | 0:19:21 | |
The Shadow Northern Ireland
Secretary has criticised | 0:19:21 | 0:19:23 | |
the Prime Minister for not taking
a greater role in brokering | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
a deal to restore
power-sharing at Stormont. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
Northern Ireland's executive
collapsed in January over | 0:19:29 | 0:19:32 | |
the handling of a botched
renewable energy scheme. | 0:19:32 | 0:19:35 | |
Since then, talks between
the Democratic Unionist Party | 0:19:35 | 0:19:39 | |
and Sinn Fein have failed to reach
an agreement on the restoration | 0:19:39 | 0:19:42 | |
of devolved government. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:43 | |
The Northern Ireland Secretary,
James Brokenshire, said the impasse | 0:19:43 | 0:19:46 | |
meant the Government would have
to set a budget | 0:19:46 | 0:19:48 | |
for Northern Ireland. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:50 | |
While important progress has been
made, the parties have not yet | 0:19:50 | 0:19:53 | |
reached an agreement. | 0:19:53 | 0:19:56 | |
I'm not in a position to bring
before the house the legislation | 0:19:56 | 0:20:00 | |
necessary for an executive to be
formed this week. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:03 | |
The consequence of this
is that it is now highly unlikely | 0:20:03 | 0:20:06 | |
that an executive could be in place
within a timetable to be insured | 0:20:06 | 0:20:09 | |
of passing a budget before
the end of November. | 0:20:09 | 0:20:14 | |
Which is the point at
which we and the Northern Ireland | 0:20:14 | 0:20:17 | |
civil service assessed that
Northern Ireland will begin | 0:20:17 | 0:20:19 | |
to run out of resources. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:23 | |
No government could simply stand
by and allow that to happen | 0:20:23 | 0:20:26 | |
and we would you shirking our
responsibilities to the people of | 0:20:26 | 0:20:28 | |
Northern Ireland were we to do so. | 0:20:28 | 0:20:32 | |
James Brokenshire's opposite number
used the opportunity | 0:20:32 | 0:20:34 | |
to attack Theresa May. | 0:20:34 | 0:20:37 | |
We believe that the Prime
Minister of Great Britain | 0:20:37 | 0:20:41 | |
and Northern Ireland could get stuck
into this problem and try and bring | 0:20:41 | 0:20:44 | |
about a resolution over the impasse. | 0:20:44 | 0:20:47 | |
It is, in my view,
inexcusable and completely | 0:20:47 | 0:20:53 | |
inexplicable that she's | 0:20:53 | 0:20:57 | |
only visited Northern Ireland once
during her 15 months in office and | 0:20:57 | 0:21:00 | |
that for a 15 minute photocall
during the elections at an | 0:21:00 | 0:21:03 | |
agricultural show. | 0:21:03 | 0:21:05 | |
James Brokenshire insisted
Theresa May had been | 0:21:05 | 0:21:07 | |
talking to the parties. | 0:21:07 | 0:21:08 | |
The DUP's deputy leader predicted
that direct rule wasn't far off. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:11 | |
We would set the
government up tomorrow. | 0:21:11 | 0:21:12 | |
Sinn Fein are blocking it. | 0:21:12 | 0:21:13 | |
So, the Secretary of State
is perfectly right to come | 0:21:13 | 0:21:16 | |
to this house, as we have been
urging, to get the budget set and I | 0:21:16 | 0:21:19 | |
would also say to them
that we cannot allow | 0:21:19 | 0:21:22 | |
the drift to continue. | 0:21:22 | 0:21:23 | |
That, at some point in the very
near future, we will need to have | 0:21:23 | 0:21:26 | |
ministers and if they are not
Northern Ireland executive | 0:21:26 | 0:21:28 | |
ministers, which is what we want and
other parties want, but Sinn Fein | 0:21:28 | 0:21:31 | |
are blocking that, then it will have
to be ministers from here. | 0:21:31 | 0:21:40 | |
Earlier this week ,
the Justice Secretary, | 0:21:40 | 0:21:42 | |
David Lidington, indicated
that the government | 0:21:42 | 0:21:44 | |
was about to make a concession
on prisoner voting and bring | 0:21:44 | 0:21:46 | |
to an end a long
running legal battle. | 0:21:46 | 0:21:48 | |
In 2005 the European Court
of Human Rights ruled | 0:21:48 | 0:21:50 | |
against the UK's blanket ban
on allowing prisoners to vote. | 0:21:50 | 0:21:53 | |
David Lidington returned to
the Commons to announce his plans. | 0:21:53 | 0:21:58 | |
We will amend guidance to address
an anomaly in the current system | 0:21:58 | 0:22:01 | |
where offenders who are released
back in the community on licence | 0:22:01 | 0:22:06 | |
using an electronic tag,
under the home detention curfew | 0:22:06 | 0:22:10 | |
scheme, can vote under the present
arrangements but those | 0:22:10 | 0:22:14 | |
who are in the community
on temporary licence cannot vote. | 0:22:14 | 0:22:19 | |
Release on temporary licence
is a tool typically used to allow | 0:22:19 | 0:22:23 | |
offenders to commute from prison
to employment in the community | 0:22:23 | 0:22:28 | |
and so prepare themselves
for their return to society. | 0:22:28 | 0:22:34 | |
We believe that reinstating
the civic rights of voting | 0:22:34 | 0:22:37 | |
at this point is consistent
with that approach. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:41 | |
I think we need to know
what these discussions | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
and what assurances the Minister,
Secretary of State, has had | 0:22:44 | 0:22:49 | |
with lawyers to ensure
that his proposal today does bring | 0:22:49 | 0:22:51 | |
us in line with human rights law
because the last thing | 0:22:51 | 0:22:58 | |
that his house wants is a Secretary
of State having to come back | 0:22:58 | 0:23:05 | |
to the house at some point
in the future and explain that, | 0:23:05 | 0:23:08 | |
unfortunately, this hasn't satisfied
the test and isn't fulfilling our | 0:23:08 | 0:23:11 | |
international obligations. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:12 | |
May I add my congratulations
to my right honourable friend who, | 0:23:12 | 0:23:14 | |
after many years, has arrived
at what I think is an elegant | 0:23:14 | 0:23:17 | |
and sensible solution. | 0:23:17 | 0:23:18 | |
He will be aware that in the Council
of Europe it caused great | 0:23:18 | 0:23:21 | |
consternation that the UK was unable
to comply with these judgments | 0:23:21 | 0:23:24 | |
and it led to talk of the UK even
leaving the Council of Europe, | 0:23:24 | 0:23:27 | |
which after all we were a founding
member of by the Treaty of London. | 0:23:27 | 0:23:31 | |
Can he just confirm
that we now leave the company | 0:23:31 | 0:23:36 | |
of the countries of Armenia,
Bulgaria, Estonia, Jordan, | 0:23:36 | 0:23:43 | |
Hungary and Russia that
remain the only countries | 0:23:43 | 0:23:45 | |
in the Council of Europe that
still have a blanket ban. | 0:23:45 | 0:23:48 | |
The government has instituted
a system of Universal Credit | 0:23:48 | 0:23:50 | |
on the basis that it mirrors
the world of work so, why then, | 0:23:50 | 0:23:53 | |
not use the same logic and consider
that prisoners should be prepared | 0:23:53 | 0:23:56 | |
for life outside of prison
by maintaining their | 0:23:56 | 0:23:58 | |
civic right to a vote? | 0:23:58 | 0:24:04 | |
A very tiny concession
by the government is the bare | 0:24:04 | 0:24:07 | |
minimum it could get away
with and I believe that | 0:24:07 | 0:24:10 | |
when you imprison somebody,
you deprive them of their liberty, | 0:24:10 | 0:24:12 | |
you don't deprive
them of their rights. | 0:24:12 | 0:24:19 | |
I don't understand, perhaps
the Minister can tell me why | 0:24:19 | 0:24:22 | |
he feels so threatened by that. | 0:24:22 | 0:24:23 | |
The act of depriving someone
of his or her liberty | 0:24:23 | 0:24:26 | |
when they are sentenced to custody,
I would have thought by definition, | 0:24:26 | 0:24:28 | |
deprives them of some
absolutely vital civic rights. | 0:24:28 | 0:24:31 | |
I think giving the vote to any
prisoners is idiotic, unjustifiable, | 0:24:31 | 0:24:35 | |
and is about as popular
with the general public as finding | 0:24:35 | 0:24:38 | |
a rattlesnake in a lucky dip. | 0:24:38 | 0:24:41 | |
Philip Davies,
not mincing his words. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:44 | |
And finally, you may not have heard
of Erskine May but - | 0:24:44 | 0:24:48 | |
and you can trust me on this -
it is considered to be the most | 0:24:48 | 0:24:51 | |
authoritative reference book
on parliamentary procedure. | 0:24:51 | 0:24:54 | |
The question exercising MPs was -
is it available online? | 0:24:54 | 0:24:58 | |
One Labour MP -
who's interested in this sort | 0:24:58 | 0:25:00 | |
of thing - had the answer. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:02 | |
It is available on the intranet
in a 1000 page PDF which expresses | 0:25:02 | 0:25:08 | |
that it is not to be used
for the public. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:12 | |
What I'm asking, and I hope
that the commitment from the leader | 0:25:12 | 0:25:14 | |
of the house is clear,
that we will now be making it | 0:25:14 | 0:25:17 | |
available to the whole
of the country because the people | 0:25:17 | 0:25:22 | |
of this country are demanding
Erskine May be made available | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
to them without having to buy a copy
of the book. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:27 | |
And the good news is the Leader
of the House is looking into it | 0:25:27 | 0:25:30 | |
and perhaps in the not too distant
future we'll all be able | 0:25:30 | 0:25:33 | |
to read up on parliamentary
procedure on the go. | 0:25:33 | 0:25:35 | |
That's all we've time for,
but do join me on Friday night | 0:25:35 | 0:25:38 | |
at 11, for our round up
of the week at Westminster. | 0:25:38 | 0:25:41 | |
But for now from me,
Mandy Baker, goodbye. | 0:25:41 | 0:25:45 |