:00:11. > :00:14.Hello and welcome to Tuesday in Parliament, our look at the best
:00:15. > :00:16.of the day in the Commons and the Lords.
:00:17. > :00:28.Pleas for action to stop the carnage in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
:00:29. > :00:33.We urgently now need a mechanism with clear consequences to deter
:00:34. > :00:35.further barbaric attacks on civilians.
:00:36. > :00:37.All that dubious international money used to buy houses in London.
:00:38. > :00:43.MPs are told, "Why isn't anybody doing anything about it?"
:00:44. > :00:50.If you take the thought that a lot of corrupt money goes into London
:00:51. > :00:52.property, there is the question, why aren't they reported to anybody?
:00:53. > :00:58.The footballers of Leicester get parliamentary recognition.
:00:59. > :01:11.Spake Mike does that he accepts that rather coloured red Leicester, it is
:01:12. > :01:12.now blue Leicester? -- call it red Leicester?
:01:13. > :01:17.That was how the Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood described
:01:18. > :01:21.The fragile truce in Syria that was negotiated in February
:01:22. > :01:23.does not cover Aleppo, the country's largest city
:01:24. > :01:25.and the scene of appalling violence in recent weeks.
:01:26. > :01:28.A monitoring group said more than 270 civilians had been killed
:01:29. > :01:31.in Aleppo by bombardments in the last ten days,
:01:32. > :01:40.150 in rebel-held areas and 120 in government-held districts.
:01:41. > :01:43.55 died last week in an air strike on a hospital.
:01:44. > :01:49.In the Commons, the situation was raised by a Labour backbench MP.
:01:50. > :01:52.On Friday, desperate doctors in Aleppo appealed for international
:01:53. > :01:59.help to stave off further massacres and the potential besiegement
:02:00. > :02:02.of that city, fearing a repeat of the horrors of Srebrenica.
:02:03. > :02:06.In the light of this, does the Minister agree
:02:07. > :02:11.that it is the Syrian authorities who are primarily responsible
:02:12. > :02:14.for these horrific ongoing abuses, continuing their long-standing
:02:15. > :02:20.policy of targeting civilians in rebel-held areas?
:02:21. > :02:23.What is the UK doing to work with all those with an influence
:02:24. > :02:25.over parties to the conflict, including Saudi Arabia,
:02:26. > :02:28.Turkey, Iran and Russia, to put pressure on all sides to stop
:02:29. > :02:35.all attacks on civilian targets, including hospitals?
:02:36. > :02:38.Does the Minister have evidence that Russian forces have been directly
:02:39. > :02:45.If they were, does he agree that is it surely time for fresh
:02:46. > :02:54.We look to Russia, with its unique influence over the regime,
:02:55. > :03:01.to ensure that the cessation of hostilities does not break down.
:03:02. > :03:10.It has set itself up as the protector of the Assad
:03:11. > :03:12.regime, and it must now put real pressure on the regime
:03:13. > :03:15.This is crucial if peace negotiations are to be
:03:16. > :03:26.I ask the House to consider how different Syria might look if,
:03:27. > :03:32.in August 2013, we had voted in favour of punitive bomb strikes.
:03:33. > :03:36.Daesh did not even exist in Syria at that time - it had no
:03:37. > :03:39.Instead, this House stepped back from that decision,
:03:40. > :03:41.and I think that we will live to regret that.
:03:42. > :03:43.Surely we have to accept Syria as it is.
:03:44. > :03:46.Whether we like it or not, Assad is not going to
:03:47. > :03:50.He has the only army on the ground capable of defeating ISIL,
:03:51. > :03:52.and he has just as much support as all the hundred
:03:53. > :03:56.If we undermine him, an authoritarian, we will unleash
:03:57. > :04:02.Is it not significant that any progress this week has been
:04:03. > :04:04.as a result of contacts between America and Russia,
:04:05. > :04:06.yet our Government have put the Russian Government
:04:07. > :04:16.We are denying them visas, we are not talking to Lavrov,
:04:17. > :04:19.we have absolutely no influence - because of our obsession
:04:20. > :04:22.with Russia and getting rid of Assad, we are not actually
:04:23. > :04:27.This is an urgent question, but it would be helpful if we heard
:04:28. > :04:30.more of a tone of urgency in the Government's response.
:04:31. > :04:32.The destruction of the infrastructure in Aleppo
:04:33. > :04:35.is so wanton that we are beginning to wonder whether there will be
:04:36. > :04:40.The first priority has to be a ceasefire so that humanitarian aid
:04:41. > :04:42.can be supplied to those desperately in need.
:04:43. > :04:44.Are the Government making or supporting preparations
:04:45. > :04:49.to deliver aid as soon as any window of opportunity arises?
:04:50. > :04:52.The UK is levitating on a flow of dirty money,
:04:53. > :04:59.The financier and critic of Vladimir Putin, Bill Browder,
:05:00. > :05:01.told the Home affairs Committee there was a lack of interest
:05:02. > :05:07.in prosecuting those involved in large-scale money laundering.
:05:08. > :05:09.Large amounts of that money was in the London
:05:10. > :05:12.The committee is investigating how the UK deals with
:05:13. > :05:18.It seems likely that in terms of money-laundering going through the
:05:19. > :05:23.UK system every year, it is at least ?100 billion,
:05:24. > :05:25.of which a proportion is corrupt money.
:05:26. > :05:29.In terms of where it goes, some of it uses the UK as a
:05:30. > :05:31.Some flows through to other destinations.
:05:32. > :05:33.Clearly one of the things that makes the UK
:05:34. > :05:36.attractive as a centre for money-laundering is its historic
:05:37. > :05:39.links with the overseas territories and Crown dependencies, because you
:05:40. > :05:44.can move money very quickly to jurisdictions that are very well
:05:45. > :05:47.linked, for whom your sort of bank of lawyers and accountants will have
:05:48. > :05:51.very close connections and easily set up shell companies and so on.
:05:52. > :05:54.The system we have at the moment is just shot full of holes.
:05:55. > :05:58.One of the other big supervisors that has quite a lot of
:05:59. > :06:06.As far as we can see, not doing a very good
:06:07. > :06:11.For example, they supervised the estate agents and if
:06:12. > :06:14.you take the thought that a lot of corrupt money goes into London
:06:15. > :06:17.property, there is the question, why aren't the estate agents reporting
:06:18. > :06:20.We have a niche role in that we prosecute a
:06:21. > :06:23.relatively small number of high value, high-profile cases.
:06:24. > :06:31.Those cases are significant in that they
:06:32. > :06:34.concern the most sophisticated criminals, or some of the most
:06:35. > :06:37.sophisticated criminals, that UK law enforcement deals with.
:06:38. > :06:43.What is important is that those who are
:06:44. > :06:47.convicted in those cases are seen to have as much of their proceeds of
:06:48. > :06:59.that activity confiscated as possible.
:07:00. > :07:01.authorities, to the Serious Fraud Office,
:07:02. > :07:02.through the Home Office to
:07:03. > :07:05.Do they know about what you have just told this
:07:06. > :07:09.We have filed, over the course of five years, we have now
:07:10. > :07:16.We filed a complaint with the Metropolitan
:07:17. > :07:21.Police in 2010 to investigate the organised crime group.
:07:22. > :07:25.Their response to us was that the
:07:26. > :07:28.responsibility to investigate the fraud does not lie within the
:07:29. > :07:31.We failed a complaint in 2012 with the
:07:32. > :07:39.They said they were not the appropriate body for the job.
:07:40. > :07:43.We filed a complaint with the Serious
:07:44. > :07:45.Fraud Office in 2012 to investigate this crime.
:07:46. > :07:47.They say matters do not fall within the offences that the
:07:48. > :07:49.Serious Fraud Office is permitted to investigate.
:07:50. > :07:52.So, basically, what you are saying is you went to a
:07:53. > :07:55.government agency about this very serious crime that you say has been
:07:56. > :07:59.Each one of them says it was not in their remit?
:08:00. > :08:01.I think that this country is levitating off of
:08:02. > :08:11.If that money was stopped, certain people would find
:08:12. > :08:13.themselves without businesses and I think those people have some
:08:14. > :08:21.I can't explain it any other way, because I have been to France.
:08:22. > :08:25.I am working very intimately with the French police.
:08:26. > :08:27.I am working with the Department of Justice.
:08:28. > :08:30.I am working with the Luxembourg police.
:08:31. > :08:33.Why is it so hard that the British authorities...?
:08:34. > :08:38.Do you think it is a fair judgment that quite an amount
:08:39. > :08:42.of dirty money is going into property, and particularly London?
:08:43. > :08:52.I would merely that wish to repeat that I don't think there is
:08:53. > :08:55.any problem with the rules and regulations, it is just that nobody
:08:56. > :08:57.is interested in enforcing them or appears to be enforcing them.
:08:58. > :09:00.If you go to most estate agents in London,
:09:01. > :09:02.certainly 12 months ago, still probably today, the majority
:09:03. > :09:09.think that their responsibilities only
:09:10. > :09:13.Meanwhile, issues of tax avoidance and tax evasion were also
:09:14. > :09:15.being debated in Westminster Hall, ahead of next week's
:09:16. > :09:17.Anti-Corruption Summit, which is taking place in London.
:09:18. > :09:21.The former chair of Parliament's public spending watchdog,
:09:22. > :09:23.Dame Margaret Hodge, talked about the need
:09:24. > :09:25.for greater transparency in tax havens, including
:09:26. > :09:29.British Overseas Territories, also known as Crown Dependencies.
:09:30. > :09:34.She said thousands of houses and flats in London were owned
:09:35. > :09:40.Tax havens are being used to hide money and to enable money
:09:41. > :09:50.laundering and corruption, yet the Prime Minister has failed
:09:51. > :09:54.to secure what I thought he was setting out to do, to ensure
:09:55. > :10:03.that the Crown dependencies and the overseas territories have
:10:04. > :10:10.registers of beneficial ownership that are open to the public.
:10:11. > :10:18.She said thousands of houses and flats in London were based offshore.
:10:19. > :10:21.That is a scandal, which hikes up property prices here in London
:10:22. > :10:25.Because that is at the top of the market, I am not sure
:10:26. > :10:28.whether that is taking away from many people in real housing
:10:29. > :10:34.need, but we therefore become the centre and focus of money
:10:35. > :10:42.laundering and bringing money into the London property market.
:10:43. > :10:47.As we have heard, the forthcoming anti-corruption summit presents
:10:48. > :10:49.a unique opportunity for world leaders, business and civil society
:10:50. > :10:52.to come together and advance the international transparency
:10:53. > :10:57.and the anti-corruption agenda in a way that we have
:10:58. > :11:02.the lead on this issue, because we are uniquely
:11:03. > :11:08.Our status as a pre-eminent global financial centre and the unfortunate
:11:09. > :11:11.financial secrecy touted by our overseas territories
:11:12. > :11:15.and Crown dependencies make the UK seem a safe haven for the proceeds
:11:16. > :11:18.of corruption and the individuals and organisations that facilitate
:11:19. > :11:40.and benefit from financial crime and tax evasion.
:11:41. > :11:42.The amount of money that goes
:11:43. > :11:44.uncollected and is therefore unavailable to Governments in Africa
:11:45. > :11:46.is greater than the amount of international aid that
:11:47. > :11:50.Here in our own country, the amount of tax that is evaded
:11:51. > :11:53.or avoided by those who should be paying it is estimated to be
:11:54. > :11:57.If the Government were so minded and were able to collect that money,
:11:58. > :12:00.it would be enough to do away with all the proposed cuts
:12:01. > :12:03.to welfare and social security that we have spent many hours
:12:04. > :12:05.debating over the past couple of years.
:12:06. > :12:07.We really need to get a grip on this.
:12:08. > :12:10.The revelations in the wake of the Panama papers show how much
:12:11. > :12:12.further we can go and how much further public opinion,
:12:13. > :12:14.although it has moved, still needs to move.
:12:15. > :12:17.I am sure that this topic will continue to develop
:12:18. > :12:21.and that the rules and regulations and, most importantly,
:12:22. > :12:28.the ethos and culture of international business,
:12:29. > :12:30.investment and ownership, will continue to change and tighten.
:12:31. > :12:33.You're watching our round-up of the day in
:12:34. > :12:44.Peers debate the merits of academisation in education.
:12:45. > :12:48.The collapse of British Home Stores is to be investigated
:12:49. > :12:54.The familiar high street shop has been placed in administration
:12:55. > :12:56.with debts of ?1.3 billion, including a pension
:12:57. > :13:05.11,000 jobs are at risk across 164 stores in the UK.
:13:06. > :13:08.The former owner of BHS, Sir Phillip Green, bought
:13:09. > :13:12.the business for ?200 million, but sold it last year.
:13:13. > :13:15.Questions were asked about the lack of retail experience
:13:16. > :13:20.The Business Secretary told MPs about the next step.
:13:21. > :13:24.I have written today to the Chief Executive
:13:25. > :13:31.I've instructed her to immediately commence an investigation.
:13:32. > :13:34.And I will make both those letters, mine and hers,
:13:35. > :13:39.available in libraries of both houses later today.
:13:40. > :13:43.Mr Speaker, that is good news, and I welcome the steps
:13:44. > :13:48.During Sir Philip Green's stewardship of BHS, the pension fund
:13:49. > :13:53.went from a surplus to a black hole of ?571 million.
:13:54. > :13:57.What options do the Government and Pensions Regulator
:13:58. > :14:00.now have to ensure that Sir Philip Green pays his fair share
:14:01. > :14:05.And does the secretary of state agree with me
:14:06. > :14:08.that the Pension Protection Fund was designed as a lifeboat
:14:09. > :14:17.not a funding stream for the owner's luxury yachts?
:14:18. > :14:20.Hopefully the Right Honourable Lady will understand it would be wrong
:14:21. > :14:23.of me and anyone else to single out any particular individual.
:14:24. > :14:26.That is for independent investigators to look at,
:14:27. > :14:30.by looking at the evidence in front of them.
:14:31. > :14:34.She will also know that when it comes to defined
:14:35. > :14:36.benefit pension schemes, there are many in deficit,
:14:37. > :14:39.just because one is in deficit, it doesn't necessarily mean
:14:40. > :14:41.there has been any kind of wrong doing.
:14:42. > :14:45.Again, this is an investigation that I have instructed today.
:14:46. > :14:48.Also, she can be reassured that the Pension Regulator will be
:14:49. > :14:58.A Health Minister says he's not ruling out a public inquiry
:14:59. > :15:00.into deaths at units run by Southern Health
:15:01. > :15:06.A Care Quality Commission - or CQC - report published at the end
:15:07. > :15:10.of April found the trust was still failing to protect
:15:11. > :15:15.That verdict followed an independent investigation in December
:15:16. > :15:18.which concluded it had failed to investigate hundreds
:15:19. > :15:22.The chairman of the trust resigned last week.
:15:23. > :15:25.But Labour's shadow Health Minister didn't think enough had changed,
:15:26. > :15:32.and said patients and parents had a right to be angry.
:15:33. > :15:35.To read the litany of failure, missed warnings, reports,
:15:36. > :15:39.recommendations ignored and secrecy over the last four years would make
:15:40. > :15:45.And Friday's CQC report shows that very little has been done
:15:46. > :15:50.since we last discussed this matter in this House in December.
:15:51. > :15:52.We should be angry that Conor Sparrowhawk was left
:15:53. > :15:58.We should be angry that Angela Smith took her own life.
:15:59. > :16:02.We should be angry that David West died in the care of this NHS Trust.
:16:03. > :16:06.His father was repeatedly ignored when he raised his concerns.
:16:07. > :16:10.All of them denied the care they so desperately needed.
:16:11. > :16:13.Last week, the BBC reported that over the past five years,
:16:14. > :16:17.12 patients, who had been detained for the safety of themselves
:16:18. > :16:22.or others, have jumped off the roof of a hospital run by this trust.
:16:23. > :16:27.Does he agree with me that the position of the chief
:16:28. > :16:32.executive is now untenable, and she should be sacked?
:16:33. > :16:34.Third, will he listen to the heartfelt pleas
:16:35. > :16:37.of the victims' families, campaigners and all of us
:16:38. > :16:41.who are demanding a full, public enquiry into Southern Health
:16:42. > :16:45.and the broader issues, such as the abject failure to adequately
:16:46. > :16:51.The minister agreed the report made "disturbing reading".
:16:52. > :16:57.There are things that seem to be discovered,
:16:58. > :17:02.I'm not content with that in any way at all.
:17:03. > :17:06.But the process is in place to do something about that.
:17:07. > :17:10.The engagement of CQC and the fact they ruled out no further options
:17:11. > :17:14.in terms of taking any further action, its options are quite
:17:15. > :17:17.extensive, including prosecution for things it has found.
:17:18. > :17:23.He wouldn't be drawn on the future of the Trust's Chief Executive.
:17:24. > :17:32.I want to wait and see what comes out of the further work that's
:17:33. > :17:37.I'm not ruling out some form of further enquiry,
:17:38. > :17:39.but remember, the enquiry is physically being
:17:40. > :17:43.done now by the action taking place on the ground.
:17:44. > :17:46.What needs to follow is urgent action to respond to
:17:47. > :17:50.Not a long, drawn-out public enquiry, which is not
:17:51. > :17:58.The failure of care for people with mental health, learning
:17:59. > :18:02.disabilities and autism has been shocking, and the board should go.
:18:03. > :18:05.Equally shocking is that 11 months before Conor Sparrowhawk's tragic
:18:06. > :18:09.and unecessary death, there was failures identified and
:18:10. > :18:14.What can the Minister do to ensure that as part
:18:15. > :18:17.of a robust inspection regime, when failures are identified,
:18:18. > :18:21.there are acted upon and done so very, very quickly to prevent
:18:22. > :18:26.The determination of myself and colleagues is to do whatever
:18:27. > :18:30.we can to breakdown those situations where people feel they have
:18:31. > :18:34.to fight for everything and they find closed doors against
:18:35. > :18:41.All too often in mental health, I think the lack appears to be that
:18:42. > :18:44.when people are challenged there is a defensiveness
:18:45. > :18:49.He explained the Government was taking steps to try to change that.
:18:50. > :18:51.These concerns have been expressed in the past,
:18:52. > :18:56.But I'm quite convinced the system is better placed to deal with them
:18:57. > :18:59.now and more seriously than was the case,
:19:00. > :19:03.What reassurance can he provide to my constituents,
:19:04. > :19:07.such as the family of David West, that the regulatory bodies
:19:08. > :19:12.have the powers necessary if intervention is required?
:19:13. > :19:15.The balances between ensuring there's continuity and stability,
:19:16. > :19:17.to make sure what the trust has promised is delivered,
:19:18. > :19:20.rather than a wholesale change which will simply provide
:19:21. > :19:25.opportunity for any further delay and prevent the work going on.
:19:26. > :19:28.The Speaker drew the urgent question to an end with these
:19:29. > :19:32.Perhaps on the half of the House, I can express the hope
:19:33. > :19:36.that the Hansard text of these exchanges will be supplied
:19:37. > :19:44.to Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.
:19:45. > :19:49.They need to know that we have treated of them, and what has
:19:50. > :20:01.been said, politely, and would not want restraint,
:20:02. > :20:02.been said, politely, and with notable restraint,
:20:03. > :20:05.but with very real anxiety in all parts of the House
:20:06. > :20:09.We're not too far away from the Queen's Speech.
:20:10. > :20:10.The Government's legislative programme will be announced
:20:11. > :20:15.There'll be intense interest to see what it has to say about how
:20:16. > :20:18.the Government will force every state school to become an academy
:20:19. > :20:20.school, free from local authority control.
:20:21. > :20:23.It's known that some Conservative MPs have concerns about the idea.
:20:24. > :20:27.In the Lords, a Labour peer said academisation was appropriate
:20:28. > :20:33.But, he said, there was no evidence that conversion to an academy
:20:34. > :20:40.What counts a lot is hard work and clear plan for improvement,
:20:41. > :20:42.both of which can be achieved without convertion.
:20:43. > :20:45.The Government needs to accept it has failed to win the argument
:20:46. > :20:51.What they have achieved is a remarkable feat,
:20:52. > :20:54.because since the publication of the White Paper, we have seen
:20:55. > :20:56.the emergence of a broad alliance involving parents,
:20:57. > :20:59.head teachers, trade unions, local government leaders -
:21:00. > :21:03.both Labour and Conservative - and MPs - more than a few
:21:04. > :21:06.of whom are Conservatives - all impacably opposed
:21:07. > :21:11.Can the Minister tell the House who, apart from existing academy chains,
:21:12. > :21:14.has come out in favour of the White Paper proposals?
:21:15. > :21:18.The Sutton Trust have told us that sponsored academies are doing
:21:19. > :21:25.Ofsted said that attainment in sponsored academies has
:21:26. > :21:27.increased over the time, with the longest-standing academies
:21:28. > :21:40.My Lords, there has been considerable concern
:21:41. > :21:41.over poorly performing primary schools.
:21:42. > :21:43.How many have been taken over by academy sponsors,
:21:44. > :21:46.There are 960 primary sponsored academies open
:21:47. > :21:49.many of which suffered from chronic underperformance previously.
:21:50. > :21:55.I thought the question was how many organisations had come
:21:56. > :22:01.out in favour of every school being forced to become an academy?
:22:02. > :22:04.I thought in his answer, he gave us some comments that had
:22:05. > :22:10.But I'm not sure he answered that question?
:22:11. > :22:14.I don't think I did, and I don't think PR is my job.
:22:15. > :22:21.We make absolutely no apology for our belief in academies
:22:22. > :22:24.and multi-academy trusts, because of the substantial benefits
:22:25. > :22:28.in Academy freedoms and working closely together in close
:22:29. > :22:36.If noble Lords were to spend any time meeting with people who run
:22:37. > :22:39.academies or multi-academy trusts, seeing substantial benefits
:22:40. > :22:44.for the staff and pupils, that they would understand.
:22:45. > :22:51.Would the noble lord care to explain to the House when answering a direct
:22:52. > :23:05.And would the noble lord the Minister answer the concern
:23:06. > :23:11.of both local authority and church voluntary-aided schools
:23:12. > :23:22.Would he say that no small primary schools will be closed on financial
:23:23. > :23:26.grounds in his programme of academisation?
:23:27. > :23:31.No strong schools will close as a result of the White Paper.
:23:32. > :23:34.Indeed, we think many rural schools will be much stronger working
:23:35. > :23:40.And there are very strict rules about the closure of
:23:41. > :23:46.I would expect all of those considerations would continue
:23:47. > :23:52.in the future in relation to all rural schools.
:23:53. > :23:55.Leicester City has won football's Premiership title.
:23:56. > :23:58.The triumph of the East Midlands club is being seen as one
:23:59. > :24:02.of the more unlikely successes in the modern-day sporting world,
:24:03. > :24:07.The Mayor of Leicester said the achievement was even better
:24:08. > :24:11.for his city than the re-burying of King Richard III one year ago -
:24:12. > :24:14.the event that appeared to spark the dramatic turnaround
:24:15. > :24:20.The celebrations for the team that's known as the Foxes
:24:21. > :24:33.Mr Speaker, could I ask the secretary of state if he'd
:24:34. > :24:38.like to join me and other Leicester MPs, and many throughout the world,
:24:39. > :24:41.in congratulating Leicester City Football Club on winning
:24:42. > :24:49.Can I say to him, does he agree that this will boost jobs in, not
:24:50. > :24:52.just Leicester, but all of the Midlands region.
:24:53. > :24:54.Not just those interested in football, but also
:24:55. > :25:00.And does he accept that rather than call it Red Leicester any more,
:25:01. > :25:07.Mr Speaker, first, I like the sound of Blue Leicester,
:25:08. > :25:12.Let me congratulate him and most of all his constituents
:25:13. > :25:16.on their stunning victory last night.
:25:17. > :25:19.I think the whole nation celebrates that, and I suggest he makes
:25:20. > :25:29.That's full-time now for this programme.
:25:30. > :25:34.Do join me for the replay, when we have the next daily round-up.
:25:35. > :25:37.Until then, from me Keith Macdougall, goodbye.