0:00:01 > 0:00:04Now on BBC News, Tuesday in Parliament.
0:00:24 > 0:00:30Welcome to Tuesday in Parliament as MPs get down to their line by line
0:00:30 > 0:00:38scrutiny of the bill putting EU law into the statutory regulations.It
0:00:38 > 0:00:43is about one main question and it is democracy.I asked the government to
0:00:43 > 0:00:49reconsider silly amendments thrown out because they have a good article
0:00:49 > 0:00:55in the Daily Telegraph.Also calls for more to be done to tackle tax
0:00:55 > 0:00:58avoidance and questions for the government over whether Islamic
0:00:58 > 0:01:07State extremists were allowed to free the city of Raqqa.On this
0:01:07 > 0:01:13release of fighters, our ability to hold these criminals to account.It
0:01:13 > 0:01:18was time for MPs to finally get down to the detailed scrutiny of the bill
0:01:18 > 0:01:25putting EU law into UK law to avoid a legislative Black hole come
0:01:25 > 0:01:35Brexit. The bill is being scrutinised in committee, line by
0:01:35 > 0:01:41line, by all MPs. It is a mammoth piece of legislation running 260
0:01:41 > 0:01:51pages, add another 200 pages of amendments propose. So start
0:01:51 > 0:01:57reluctant Brexiteer Frank Field proposed the build should propose a
0:01:57 > 0:02:04date of except of March three, 2019. The Brexit secretary wants to build
0:02:04 > 0:02:13two feet except date on 11pm March 29 2019.While the government is
0:02:13 > 0:02:17introducing its own timetable, set by the European bureaucrats whoever
0:02:17 > 0:02:24they are, I think we should actually make a decision today it and leave
0:02:24 > 0:02:31on our terms and on our time. I have never bought a house without having
0:02:31 > 0:02:38in the contract that date when it is mine, when I can actually get in.I
0:02:38 > 0:02:43think is an allergy about buying a house falls down at its first
0:02:43 > 0:02:48hurdle. Nobody commits to buying a house before knowing what they are
0:02:48 > 0:02:56buying. It is possible that negotiations may go to the 59th
0:02:56 > 0:03:03minute of the 11th hour. In those circumstances, does it really make
0:03:03 > 0:03:08sense to bind the hands of the country, of those who are
0:03:08 > 0:03:11negotiating on the heart of the country to get the best possible
0:03:11 > 0:03:16deal we can get, which is also the weakness of the government 's
0:03:16 > 0:03:22amendment.This argument falls when you look at Article 50 itself. It
0:03:22 > 0:03:27was very specific for a very simple reason and that is, in that time
0:03:27 > 0:03:32scale it is therefore determined on those negotiating to reach an
0:03:32 > 0:03:35agreement or agreed not to reach an agreement. Just changing that
0:03:35 > 0:03:40timescale does not allow you to reach an agreement. That is the
0:03:40 > 0:03:46whole point of compression, to get an agreement.We recognise the
0:03:46 > 0:03:52importance of being crystal clear on the setting of except date and the
0:03:52 > 0:03:57government is keen to provide the certainty that people are seeking.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01In light of these, three at one amendment has been brought forward
0:04:01 > 0:04:12with amendments three 100 and 82 11pm 29th of March 2019. Of course,
0:04:12 > 0:04:18this is slightly different to the amendment of the honourable member
0:04:18 > 0:04:23in that it also sets a time. Under Article 50 there is a date but also
0:04:23 > 0:04:29it has in itself provisions for the possible extension of the period if
0:04:29 > 0:04:34that is what is actually needed to conclude an agreement and that is
0:04:34 > 0:04:39what I have to say, this amendment by the government is is a very
0:04:39 > 0:04:46strange because it seems to me to add nothing to the strength of the
0:04:46 > 0:04:49government negotiating position and, in fact potentially create a very
0:04:49 > 0:04:55great problem that could be brought back to visit us at a later stage.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58The government has had months to repair this deeply flawed deals.
0:04:58 > 0:05:05Environmental protection, and limiting the scope of delegated
0:05:05 > 0:05:12powers etc, but instead, they have chosen to come to this house with
0:05:12 > 0:05:17the gimmick on the departure date, a gimmick that is about the Prime
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Minister negotiating with her party rather than trying to get a Brexit
0:05:22 > 0:05:26deal that prioritises job, the economy and the livelihood of our
0:05:26 > 0:05:31people.The majority wanted to leave the European Union. It settled
0:05:31 > 0:05:39nothing else. Nobody expected lead to win, including the Leave campaign
0:05:39 > 0:05:47as LAUGHTER he would have taken no notice of the referendum had they
0:05:47 > 0:05:51notice, nobody actually paid any attention to what leaving actually
0:05:51 > 0:05:57meant. There are some very, very serious issues to be settled in this
0:05:57 > 0:06:00bill and a half the government to reconsider the silly amendment
0:06:00 > 0:06:04thrown out because they have a good article in the Daily Telegraph which
0:06:04 > 0:06:23actually might do harm. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE..It is an absolute
0:06:23 > 0:06:28privilege to follow the right honourable member and I welcome the
0:06:28 > 0:06:31applause from the Labour Party benches as well...Some of the
0:06:31 > 0:06:38benches.We will seek to find common cause with colleagues from across
0:06:38 > 0:06:44the house. However, we know that what we are trying to achieve, even
0:06:44 > 0:06:49if we achieve common ground, is to make the situation in not better but
0:06:49 > 0:06:53less bad and that is not a situation that any member should ever find
0:06:53 > 0:06:58themselves in when they come to this house. I would urge members to
0:06:58 > 0:07:02reconsider, I would urge the government to press the reset
0:07:02 > 0:07:07clause, there is far more at stake than the future of this government
0:07:07 > 0:07:14all members of this house.These are built, this whole issue is about one
0:07:14 > 0:07:18main question and the word is a democracy. Whether or not we have
0:07:18 > 0:07:23the right to govern ourselves in this sacred House of Commons which
0:07:23 > 0:07:27is the basis on which the people of this country in general elections
0:07:27 > 0:07:33make decisions of their own free choice, whether it is to vote for
0:07:33 > 0:07:38the Labour Party or the Liberal Democrats or the SNP or the
0:07:38 > 0:07:43Conservative Party, and then had to make a decision in this house as to
0:07:43 > 0:07:48how they going to be governed.At the end of that debate, Frank Field
0:07:48 > 0:07:56withdrew his proposal that Brexit should happen on March 30, 2019.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01They will vote on the government 's preferred date later in the process.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06The government should compel British overseas territories and Crown
0:08:06 > 0:08:10dependencies such as Bermuda and the Isle of Man to do away with secret
0:08:10 > 0:08:18tax arrangements. Debate on tax avoidance, Dave Margaret Hodge, she
0:08:18 > 0:08:23said it was one way to ensure rich firms and individuals who fill their
0:08:23 > 0:08:29duty to pay tax in the UK.The culture of powerful corporation and
0:08:29 > 0:08:35the wealthiest in a society, as revealed in the Paradise Papers,
0:08:35 > 0:08:40Constitution and national and international disgrace. --
0:08:40 > 0:08:46constitutes. It is not just a trivial or return practised by a
0:08:46 > 0:08:51small number of greedy individuals and co-operation but a widely
0:08:51 > 0:08:55accepted behaviour of too many of those who were rich and influential.
0:08:55 > 0:09:03There is no such thing as a magic money tree the Prime Minister told a
0:09:03 > 0:09:12nurse who had not had an increase in eight years. Do they grow on the
0:09:12 > 0:09:19Cayman Islands, Bermuda and tax dodging to be picked and put into
0:09:19 > 0:09:25our public services, we would not have police services and teachers
0:09:25 > 0:09:31facing the sack.I completely agree with their remarks which are very
0:09:31 > 0:09:36pertinent to what we will be discussing in the debate. An tax is
0:09:36 > 0:09:40an essential part of the social contract into which we all enter as
0:09:40 > 0:09:45members of the community. As members of society we agree to abide by a
0:09:45 > 0:09:50set of rules and regulations that make all our lives better.She said
0:09:50 > 0:09:54several things I agree with, the incident everyone should pay their
0:09:54 > 0:10:00fair share to the tax system and that tax avoidance is something we
0:10:00 > 0:10:06should work together on, yet, she not feel a little ashamed about her
0:10:06 > 0:10:11party's attempts to block steps before the most recent election that
0:10:11 > 0:10:18would have reduced some of the tax avoidance?I am trying not to make
0:10:18 > 0:10:24this overly partisan but I feel more ashamed as a member of a limit at
0:10:24 > 0:10:28her party 's reluctance to adopt a very clear and simple measure that
0:10:28 > 0:10:33could actually tackle tax avoidance. She said transparency would change
0:10:33 > 0:10:38behaviour.We should compel our overseas territories to publish
0:10:38 > 0:10:45public registers in all their territories. In the past, a
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Conservative government has used its powers to outlaw capital punishment
0:10:49 > 0:10:55in our territories and the Labour government used the same powers will
0:10:55 > 0:11:00skim a nation against gay people. Today we should work together to our
0:11:00 > 0:11:04rule of the secrecy of these jurisdictions that leads to such
0:11:04 > 0:11:10massive tax injustices.The minister defended the government's records.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15We have raised £160 billion in additional revenue as a consequence
0:11:15 > 0:11:20of clamping down on tax avoidance, invasion and non-compliant since
0:11:20 > 0:11:322010. We have brought in to point £1 billion tracking down those who
0:11:32 > 0:11:35would soar to inappropriately hide their finances in overseas tax
0:11:35 > 0:11:49jurisdictions. -- 2.8. A further 35 measures will come in from 2015 are
0:11:49 > 0:11:55raising 18.5 billion pounds and one of the problems is we have been so
0:11:55 > 0:12:00active bringing in so many measures that, unfortunately, not all of them
0:12:00 > 0:12:07have been notice.A significant tax return, would it be better if we
0:12:07 > 0:12:15were to invest tax officers and go after the multi- billion-dollar tax
0:12:15 > 0:12:18avoidance?The minister insisted the government was going after the tax
0:12:18 > 0:12:25cuts. You are watching Tuesday in Parliament. Don't forget, you can
0:12:25 > 0:12:30find previous editions of this programme by going to the BBC
0:12:30 > 0:12:42iPlayer.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44committee has been questioning why there is a need for the review of
0:12:44 > 0:12:47there is a need for the review of security capabilities. The
0:12:47 > 0:12:52conservative MP, Johnny Mercer, himself or for me -- former Army
0:12:52 > 0:13:06lieutenant, ask the question.Is it hard to accept and we are so
0:13:06 > 0:13:09appalled a booking at board threats that we have to do the thing again
0:13:09 > 0:13:15two years later.The whole package includes the strategic decision by
0:13:15 > 0:13:22the nation to leave the EU and to change by implication the nature of
0:13:22 > 0:13:26our posture in the world. So that's a very good start to a review
0:13:26 > 0:13:33reconsideration. And the finances associated with that including the
0:13:33 > 0:13:37fundamentals such as the fundamental shift in the pound dollar balance.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42General Sir Richard Barron 's was the head of joint forces command for
0:13:42 > 0:13:46three years.If defence officials were here they could show you pages
0:13:46 > 0:13:50of analysis showing we are in a different climate with Russia and we
0:13:50 > 0:13:54need to worry about North Korea and various tensions in the Middle East
0:13:54 > 0:13:59and they would also begin to describe just in terms of military
0:13:59 > 0:14:02capability, there are reasons to be UK homeland which armed forces can
0:14:02 > 0:14:08deal with.We are very close in the commercial sector to huge advances
0:14:08 > 0:14:15in AI which will change the nature of the human machine performance and
0:14:15 > 0:14:18that will change incredibly quickly without the law being in place for
0:14:18 > 0:14:23military conflict. It's just, I think, I would guess between five
0:14:23 > 0:14:28and ten years and now, which is within the horizon, we are going to
0:14:28 > 0:14:32have a wholly different approach to the nature of the human in warfare
0:14:32 > 0:14:42and there is not a whisper of debate on the subject.Which areas to see
0:14:42 > 0:14:48this first and foremost coming into defence thinking and operationally
0:14:48 > 0:14:57within the MOD or rather forces?Any area that has very rapid
0:14:57 > 0:15:04decision-making associated with weaponry. So if the human in the
0:15:04 > 0:15:10loop is in a decision-making loop is slower than the enemy, you will
0:15:10 > 0:15:18lose. You have to do, in a Darwinian way, accelerate your utility of AI
0:15:18 > 0:15:24at least as fast if not faster than the enemy.Sir Mark Lyall Grant was
0:15:24 > 0:15:28a National Security Adviser who helped put together the Strategic
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Defence Review in 2015, telling the committee why there had to be
0:15:31 > 0:15:36another reviewer now.A number of things have happened since then
0:15:36 > 0:15:41which call into question the affordability of the review. There
0:15:41 > 0:15:47is obviously an extra element which is the referendum to leave the
0:15:47 > 0:15:52European Union but that does not have a very significant impact on
0:15:52 > 0:15:57either the threat assessment or the commitment made. Only one of the 89
0:15:57 > 0:16:03commitments in the review mentions the European Union at all. So I
0:16:03 > 0:16:06don't think that development fundamentally changes the properties
0:16:06 > 0:16:12of the review but as I mentioned since then, partly perhaps linked to
0:16:12 > 0:16:19the referendum decision, the pound has gone down. Some of that money
0:16:19 > 0:16:23can be hedged and has been hedged by the Ministry of Defence and not all
0:16:23 > 0:16:27of it. Some of the costs have gone up and that is fairly normal
0:16:27 > 0:16:36process. We should be fairly familiar. All those issues are
0:16:36 > 0:16:43there. As I mentioned, some of the efficiency savings have not come
0:16:43 > 0:16:48through as fully as they liked. There is an issue in the Budget.
0:16:48 > 0:16:55That review is due to be published next month. This week, the BBC
0:16:55 > 0:16:58learned that several hundred Islamic State fighters and their family
0:16:58 > 0:17:04members were allowed to leave the Syrian city of Raqqa when it fell to
0:17:04 > 0:17:11US- backed forces. Labour's Collings was concerned.These fighters have
0:17:11 > 0:17:17gone somewhere. There is a threat to neighbouring countries. What
0:17:17 > 0:17:20assessment has the government done in terms of the threat to
0:17:20 > 0:17:25neighbouring countries and particularly countries that are
0:17:25 > 0:17:32fighting Daesh and what assessment has the minister made on fighters on
0:17:32 > 0:17:39our ability to hold the kernel -- these criminals to account?The
0:17:39 > 0:17:44withdrawal from the city happened under the gaze of the coalition.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Britain was said not to have been involved in the agreement with the
0:17:48 > 0:17:53aim had been to minimise civilian casualties.We are continuing to
0:17:53 > 0:17:56work with the coalition, 73 countries including several
0:17:56 > 0:18:03neighbouring countries, to ensure that those are seeking to leave. But
0:18:03 > 0:18:10they are held accountable. And that those foreign fighters seek to
0:18:10 > 0:18:18return to the UK, that there is due process. That they are held to
0:18:18 > 0:18:25account for their crimes abroad.The government should honour the
0:18:25 > 0:18:30controversial promise on the side of the Birch Leave campaign bus, saying
0:18:30 > 0:18:34millions of pounds would be available for the health service.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39Simon Stephens insisted ministers needed to scrap the cost of the pay
0:18:39 > 0:18:44NHS workers, a point raised by the Shadow Health Secretary.Does he
0:18:44 > 0:18:49agree with Simon Stephens who says it would be an own goal not to fully
0:18:49 > 0:18:53fund the scrapping of the pay cut in the Budget next week and expected to
0:18:53 > 0:19:01be paid for by a productivity gains? The government is willing to be
0:19:01 > 0:19:07flexible in terms of funding additional pay. We do want some
0:19:07 > 0:19:17important reforms and if those negotiations do well and we have had
0:19:17 > 0:19:20very constructive discussions, I'm hopeful we can get a deal everyone
0:19:20 > 0:19:26is happy with.So he doesn't agree with Simon Stephens. Can I ask him
0:19:26 > 0:19:30about his comments last week that it that underfunding continues, the
0:19:30 > 0:19:34waiting lists will rise from 4 million to 5 million, Cancer care
0:19:34 > 0:19:40will deteriorate and the mental health pledges won't be met, the 18
0:19:40 > 0:19:44week target will be permanently abandoned. Is it not the case that
0:19:44 > 0:19:48in the Budget next week, if the Chancellor doesn't allocate at least
0:19:48 > 0:19:54an extra £6 billion a year, but he will have failed the Secretary of
0:19:54 > 0:20:04State?What Simon Stephens noticed, when he came up with this plan in
0:20:04 > 0:20:132014, Labour refused to back it. What we were prepared to put on his
0:20:13 > 0:20:18side of the house. And what he also said as he is quoting Simon Stephens
0:20:18 > 0:20:24is that when the British economy sneezes, the NHS catches a cold and
0:20:24 > 0:20:29it will be far worse than a cold to the NHS if we have Labour's run on
0:20:29 > 0:20:35the prowl.Later a bill to address -- address another service bugbear,
0:20:35 > 0:20:40car parking charges at hospitals. Hospital car parking charges are a
0:20:40 > 0:20:46stealth tax on the NHS. We cannot say in good faith that the NHS is
0:20:46 > 0:20:52free at the point of access paid by general taxation if people with cars
0:20:52 > 0:20:57basics tour June -- extortionate fees to go to hospital appointments
0:20:57 > 0:21:03and work and visit sick relatives. The bill had support from across the
0:21:03 > 0:21:07house but one MP was concerned about course.I am concerned about the
0:21:07 > 0:21:13funding stream. 200 million was mentioned. It is certainly more than
0:21:13 > 0:21:18162 million mentions. That would be a funding gap that would need to be
0:21:18 > 0:21:26provided. If we have 162 million, we would be better spending on hospital
0:21:26 > 0:21:30care rather than hospital parking. That bill will go onto the next
0:21:30 > 0:21:36stage of consideration but it stands no real chance of becoming law. The
0:21:36 > 0:21:40football Association needs to take a long hard look at itself in the
0:21:40 > 0:21:44light of allegations of bullying and races in women's football according
0:21:44 > 0:21:49to the Sports Minister, Tracey Crouch. A barrister last month ruled
0:21:49 > 0:21:54the former England women's coach Mark Sampson had made unacceptable
0:21:54 > 0:22:00remarks to two England players. At a committee session, one of the
0:22:00 > 0:22:04players accused the FA of behaviour bordering on blackmail when it
0:22:04 > 0:22:11dismissed complaints. A Labour MP, Julie Elliott, took up the issue.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16One of the things claimed about the FA investigation, one of the things
0:22:16 > 0:22:22she said was she felt it was constantly protecting the reputation
0:22:22 > 0:22:25of the FA and that came across to the committee very clearly in the
0:22:25 > 0:22:34answer is that the employees do. Dancing on the head of a pin. Rather
0:22:34 > 0:22:41than if they admitted they had done wrong. You think that is a realistic
0:22:41 > 0:22:46claim that it was all about protecting the reputation of the FA?
0:22:46 > 0:22:52I do think it's right to me to sit there...I think it is right but to
0:22:52 > 0:22:56your opinion.I said I thought the FA handled the incident really
0:22:56 > 0:23:12badly. In a way, it has quite rightly taken the shine off the work
0:23:12 > 0:23:24that is the FA has done on reform of the government. I think that the FA
0:23:24 > 0:23:33have to take a long hard look at itself.What about the gaps it
0:23:33 > 0:23:47showed an acknowledgement?Lastly, there was good news for bees. A ban
0:23:47 > 0:23:54on neo-nicotinoid pesticides will be banned in the UK. It can cause bees
0:23:54 > 0:24:00to lose their bars.Why do bees matter? First, they are exceptional
0:24:00 > 0:24:04animals in the Roman rite and although there are over 250 speeches
0:24:04 > 0:24:08of bees including 25 species of bumblebee, they have some remarkable
0:24:08 > 0:24:14characteristics. They can navigate their way in an astonishingly
0:24:14 > 0:24:18sophisticated way with a combination of using the angular angle of the
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Sun, counting landmarks and exploiting electrical fields and
0:24:21 > 0:24:24they can exchange information with other bees about the precise
0:24:24 > 0:24:32location of a perfect flower known as a waggle dance. Beyond are
0:24:32 > 0:24:38intrigued to value, they play a vital role in the border environment
0:24:38 > 0:24:43and that was summarised beautifully by a poet stating, to be, the flower
0:24:43 > 0:24:48is the fountain of life and to the flour, is the messenger of life.The
0:24:48 > 0:24:53role of pollinating is that it is fundamental to our agricultural way
0:24:53 > 0:24:57of life and it's in the interest of farmers as well of those with an
0:24:57 > 0:25:01interest in pollinating that we get this done together. One in every
0:25:01 > 0:25:07three mouthful of food depends on pollinators.The minister said he
0:25:07 > 0:25:17had consulted the expert committee on pesticides.There may also be a
0:25:17 > 0:25:20persistence of neo-nicotinoid in soils which may have a wider effect
0:25:20 > 0:25:23on as a precautionary basis, we have decided to act on that. They were
0:25:23 > 0:25:29clear in their recent advice. The evidence is not that clear at the
0:25:29 > 0:25:34moment. It is, they believe, reason to extend the restrictions further
0:25:34 > 0:25:42and that's why we've taken the restrictions we have.That is it
0:25:42 > 0:25:46from either now but do join me tomorrow for a round-up of the best
0:25:46 > 0:25:49of the day in Westminster including the highlights from Prime Minister's
0:25:49 > 0:25:55questions but the knee, for now, goodbye.