11/01/2018 Thursday in Parliament

Hello and welcome to the programme.

Coming up, the Prime Minister was by

25 year plan for the environment has

got a less than enthusiastic

response.

No legislative change

could actually make a difference.

The government has suggested...

We

are the fifth biggest economy in the

world.

And the reshuffle fails to

impress the SNP.

Never before has a

Cabinet reshuffle, what an

outstanding feat, even for this

chaotic government.

This month, 85%

of patients were seen in four hours,

well below the 95% target, those are

the worst figure since the target

was introduced in 2004. The Labour

Shadow Leader of the Common said the

crisis was preventable.

The evidence

is clear on the NHS, cancelled

operations and people waiting on

trolleys, my friend was discharged

from New Cross Hospital and by the

2nd of January he had had a huge

heart attack. They'd is the

Secretary of State has to take

responsibility and be accountable.

Why, if there are no concerns on the

part of the Gutman, have the Care

Quality Commission decided to

suspend routine inspections because

of winter crisis. NHS providers

can't deliver a safe and decent

standard of patient care.

I'm on I

am sure that she will have read

carefully yesterday afternoon the

words of the art Prime Minister, she

made clear that she had apologised

for everybody that had an Operation

Shelter cancelled, and she has made

it clear that the NHS has never been

better prepared for winter than ever

before and part of our appropriate

prior planning for winter has been

the patients don't turn up on the

day and get them operation

cancelled.

The Minister will have

seen that just one week before

Christmas and New Year year, bed

occupancy rose to 91% and 39

ambulances were diverted from ana

because there were two busy to cope,

31 beds were closed because of

diarrhoea or vomiting and escalation

beds had to be open because

hospitals were full. The warnings

today will tell the same set sorry

story. Does the extra funding mean

it is far too late for the winter so

far and the government has had to

announce the bombshell of 550,000

cancellations of operations. The

government needs to come up with

urgent funding to help the NHS cope

with the worst winter crisis in two

decades.

I would hope the noble lady

would welcome the money set aside in

the budget and it is important to

say that in addition to the 370

million, half of which has gone into

plans, there is a further 100

million that has gone into taking

further pressure of emergency

services, so I don't accept the

accusation that that money came too

late and indeed there is still money

in the pot as services come in under

pressure. In the budget, there was

also an outs another £2.8 billion to

help the NHS get through the next

few years and we know that the

pressure is because of the ageing

population and the money is to help

the NHS get back on target. The

Prime Minister has pledged to

eliminate all plastic waste by 2042.

It's part of the government's

strategy on the environment. The

amount of plastic in the oceans has

caused an outcry and the suggestion

is to introduce plastic free aisles

in supermarkets. The issue seems to

be the talking point in the

Parliament. Labour complained it is

a long time coming.

The government

has finally got around to announcing

its 25 year plan and catching up

with the Welsh government, just six

years later. But this plan lacks

substance, is full of missed

opportunities, week proposals and no

laws. It's not radical and is a

cheap attempt by this Prime Minister

at rebranding the Tories. Will the

government commit to making a

statement on this plan in this House

to allow proper scrutiny?

I'm

disappointed in what she has said. I

hope that crossed the House we can

unite and do what is right for

future generations and I would

caution her to wait for more

information and this will be

discussed at length across the House

and she will learn more today and a

home more in the future. The chair

of the environment committee said he

had much enthusiasm for the plans.

I

want to see now practical

application on how we are going to

meet these goals because if you want

to change and environment, if you

want to change a financial

regulation in banking, you change

the regulation and that fixes the

problem. But if you say I want to

plant millions of trees, you

physically have two plat these

trees, you have to find land and you

have to find the policies to do it.

I'm not saying you can't do it, but

it's highly deliberate in the

future.

And the former chair of the

Green party said that she had been

hoping for these measures but she

was disappointed. Yellow maggot

there is absolutely nothing on

climate change, no suggestions on

ledges to change that could make a

difference and for example I don't

understand how the Prime Minister

can claim we as a country are

leaving on climate change when she

is just about to give a green light

to more fracking, we are banning

onshore wind developments, we are

still tried to build nuclear power

stations and we are giving tax

breaks to oil and gas. None of these

things is going to help us have a

cleaner, greener, safer planet. You

are watching Thursday in Parliament.

Now, a number of Conservative MPs

have called on the government to

boost defence spending. Several

spoke in support of a motion

demanding military expenditure be

maintained at its least current

levels.

It is vital that our defence

budget is ensures that our Armed

Forces are equipped for the

challenges we face in the future and

it is clear that our Armed Forces

forces, and this is one of the

themes, our Armed Forces, need

resources that are over and above

what is currently planned for.

Particularly it in light of the

increasing threats we face as a

country.

I think we face incredibly

dangerous times, this nation is at

right, there are very real threats

to our people's security and or we

don't address it strategically and

address it in a way that brings in

more money for defence, if we don't

increase more defence spending to

3%, we are not doing our duty, we

are not doing what are people

sentenced here to do.

It's not

enough to set a 3% target on the

defence, we must also recognise that

our tried and tested machine for

making military strategy has been

largely dismantled, this achieves of

staff must be more than budget

managers stuck on the sidelines

whilst politicians and officials

call the shots and as often as not

call the shots incorrectly.

Other

MPs called on how working in the

Armed Forces affects personnel.

It

used to mean heading off on a Friday

afternoon on and not returning a

week on Monday, said they had a full

week and two weekends away. Now, the

five dailies starts on Monday

morning with sub Mariner is expected

to be back on post on Friday night.

How is this sustainable how and how

can relationships survive that?

Labour said more had to be done to

tackle Armed Forces recruitment.

We

welcome the Army's recent report

despite the recent history by the

press. If we can remove perceptions

that deter potential applicants,

that is to be welcomed. But we must

look very seriously at the contract

with capita which is not fit for

purpose.

We have the biggest force

in Europe and I believe that it will

still be the Coalition of the

willing that will step forward to

beat the challenges of today. In

West Africa it was us that step

forward with other nations that were

never not necessarily members of

Nato. Where we have the capability

and desire to step forward. A report

commissioned by the Mayor of London

has painted a disturbing picture of

what could happen if there is no

deal in the Brexit negotiations. The

study by Siddique Khan suggests that

did billion pounds of investment

could be lost without an agreement.

The Labour MP was concerned.

Surely

you will agree that no transpacific

trade degree deal, and the Mayor of

London's report shows what a

cataclysmic effect it would have

leaving Europe and on our jobs.

Mr

Speaker, as usual I don't except the

premise of any part of the

honourable gentleman's questions. I

don't believe we will lose our share

of the market. We will maintain an

open agreement with the European

Union and they will want that

because we are the fifth biggest

economy in the world and a major

trading partner were with them. The

worst is assessment was less than

half than the assessment given to us

before the referendum if there was

no deal whatsoever. The subject of

chlorinated chicken also came up.

Wilful regulatory alignment with the

EU extent to farming standards in

the U EU and chlorinated chicken

will not be entering the UK?

Mr

Speaker, we made very clear on

numerous occasions that we do not

intend to lower standards in food

stayed in safety, environment say is

that standards or workers' rights.

The impact on Brexit on food and

animal welfare standards were also

raised in the Lords.

As it is held in high repute thanks

to our standards, the withdrawal

bill will transfer onto the UK

statue book. All standards are

current high standards including

imports requirements will require

when we leave the EU.

Is he is aware

that Liam Fox has agreed it with the

officials at the trade talks will be

held in secret and that the US

commerce Secretary or has of it

scrapping the hygiene rules will be

a critical component of any trade?

NAC also aware that Liam Fox's

previous record as saying is nothing

wrong with chlorine dip to poultry,

despite its use to disguise his

bacterial contamination such as

Salmonella and E coli which arise

from their inadequate hygiene

standards? Clearly the government is

for a trade deal, so how can we be

sure that the interest of British

consumers and farmers won't be

sacrificed in pursuit of that bigger

prize? Or ultimately as the

government action prepared to walk

away if, Mize is demanded in his

negotiations?

Of course we want to

have a vibrant trade arrangement

with United States of America, I

hope all of your Lord ships hope to

have vibrant trade elation ships

around the world. They're been very

clear where not went to water down

or come Mize on the standards I have

set out. They will be transferred

into our own domestic law. The very

points that were raised will be on

the statute book.

The food standard

agency will have a key role to play

in ensuring high standards. It will

have resource applications, staff

and locations in a whole raft of

implementations. It is the

governments proposed timetable to

prove these?

Is a important that we

ensure the sources that we are

dealing with are well put in place.

So that we aren't in a mission to

have the continuing confidence that

we should have.

Will he have a word

with his college and the other

departments to keep saying Brexit

will lead to cheap food? Is

inconsistent to talk about cheap

food because the only way that can

arise is if our own poultry

industry, pig industry and beef

industry is decimated by cheaper

imports aced upon lower standards?

My Lords, I'm absolutely clear that

we will not be watering down any of

our standards, they're already going

to be on the statute stop went home

and has the EU withdrawal bill they

will be UK statute.

What assurance

can a minister give us that on day

two, after leaving the European

Union there were not the proposals

to water down those roles? Are going

to be told that the 17.4 million

people wanted to change the rules in

order to get a deal with the United

States?

I think all have been in

clear in saying is that we are not

watering down, there will be

requirements under the UK statute

book and it will be clearly for

parliament decided me future and

what it wants to do. I've been

absolute clear about the direction

of travel. A conservative MP has

urged ministers to try to help

Hammond, who in sentence to death by

Hootie rebels earlier this month. He

has been in detention in the Yemeni

capital since 2013. They're

controlled by who The U's are locked

in several raw with the government.

He was being persecuted for his

religious beliefs and had been

treated appallingly.

The thread to

execute it constitutes a grave risk

to the life of an innocent man, a

father of three. He was arrested in

December 2013, has been subjected to

torture, beating the modification,

and forced to sign confessions under

duress. 40 court hearing seven held

on his case or than cancelled,

raising very serious questions about

any due process.

Although he is not

a British national nor an employee

of any organisation related to the

government does not in any way

diminish our indignation about is

happening in our wish to try and

defend his interests and see him

released. We are to that end of

course, also in close contact with

the community in London regarding

this case and indeed the water

situation in Yemen.

Disagree with me

that the rise of religious this with

the rebels is an extremely warning

sign. Other has in many tribal

issues in Yemen this rise on

religious grounds actually a new

thing for Yemeni history.

I totally

agree with my honourable friend, he

and his committee will be

investigating this very deeply. I

think is right. One of the really

distressing elements of what is

unfolded in Yemen over the past five

years is that what was tribal

conflict has converted into more

sectarian conflict, and it contains

the danger of escalating further

into a deeper issue. This is exactly

the kind of rising tension and

complex structure which we want to

de-escalate civic myth of a pointer

that can be proper political

discussions, realistic ones in that

complex tribal country to bring

stability and crucially to overcome

the massive famine and disease and a

rising infant mortality which is

probably in the worst aspect in a

deeply hidden aspect of what is

going on in Yemen at the moment. One

of the cabinet members his job never

seem to be in peril as the Home

Secretary, in fact she gained a new

role as Minister for any qualities,

one of the first issues to confront

her in her additional capacity was

the row about equal pay at the BBC.

Here the 21st century women as a

internal equality, commitments or

tell us what steps the government is

taking to make sure there is not a

pay gap in the civil service, in

light of the fact that Kerry Grace

has designed recently as editor of

the BBC siding pages there. Thank

you for raising and imported

element, it is essential that we all

ensure that the equal pay act is

enforced and as much as I admire the

BBC and Internet listening and

looking at their programmes, they

clearly have a very serious question

to answer here, which I certainly

hope they will address as terms of

gender pay gap we are committed to

ensuring we do address that as well.

We have new disclosure arrangements.

I doubt erupt as patient was also

raised.

The BBC claim that many of

its staff are from certain

backgrounds but others have

mentioned that the figure falls to

1.5%. Is the minister concerned

there is a major problem with be AME

visitation and what discussions has

she had with the BBC about getting

about as?

I had not seen those

particular figures commoditize

attention to that the overall

numbers suggesting there are

equality hides the fact that in

specialist areas off to the higher

paid areas, there is nowhere near

equality. I'll take very system

which is raised and I think there

are additional questions for the BBC

to answer any particular element

that she has raised.

The previous

woman inequalities woman rose to ask

your question from the back benches.

I like to congratulate the alms

victory on her expanded role. I know

she was fantastic job. She does in

people, parents and teachers know it

is vital in a modern Internet world

to see sex and relationship

education updated. Can she confirm

that the government will push had

with updating the guidance that is

now so out of date, and also meet

with me and the honourable member so

we can make sure to have a

crossmember party support for the

record being undertaken?

To start by

thinking the way Anna Brill 84 the

enormous good work that she did in

this role. I will try my best to

keep the momentum up that she

provided. But of the fantastic

things she has done was lead on

making sure the sex and relationship

education is going to be provided in

all schools. I will be delighted to

work with care to ensure that is the

case Amen also cost that has to

ensure that the outcome we get is

one that the whole house can support

as I know of one believes this is an

important part.

Another minister who

made it to the reshuffle unscathed

was a beater of the commons, Andrea

Ledson. Sugar is a business

questions each Thursday to a rundown

of Commons business.

I'm sure as the

eagle eyed members of the house will

notice... My right arm about a

friend is attending for a member of

the Privy Council. I am standing in

her place. I will do my best.

Can't

be any worse, a rather uncharitable

voice... She wanted to talk about

the reshuffle.

New titles, all the

responsibilities are already in

their portfolios. Can the Minister

please ensure that the change of

titles there is no further cost to

the public purse? It seems that men

can say no and the PM goes all right

but when a woman says no she is

sacked. So to paraphrase the Prime

Minister... There really are, boys

jobs and girls jobs.

It is left

between a hard place. Never before

has a cabinet minister... An

outstanding feat even for this

chaotic ferment. A referred to

speculation before the reshuffle

that there was to be a minister for

a no deal in the box and

negotiations.

The best way as a nod

to get a good deal at a good deal

out of the EU is them that we are

prepared for no deal. When we have

this debate about European

withdrawal bill next week, will we

have the Minister for hard Brexit in

the chamber? Azur promised during

May shuffles we can question him or

her, and if not I'm away not? I'm

sure will have a range...

Show be a

lively debate next week. Making a

full contribution to it. We'll be

reporting that in full, rest

assured. Do join me at the same time

tomorrow forever and up of the whole

week in Parliament. But now,

goodbye.