23/03/2016 Wednesday in Parliament

Hello, and welcome to Wednesday in Parliament,

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

More reaction to the terrorist outrage in Brussels.

The terrorists aim to instil fear and divide us, and destroy our

freedoms and civil liberties, and we must not give in to that narrative.

David Cameron keeps the Commons entertained with an internal party

document, placing Labour MPs in different categories.

The hostile, you shout, the neutral but not hostile, you have to be

quiet, I think. Hold on! And a committee room plays host

in the ongoing battle between "Remain In"

or "Get Out" of the EU. It's very kind of you, Boris... I

just thought I would bring it up! Never say never! Time for common

sense on the euro. The message of the Home Secretary,

Theresa May, in the wake of Tuesday's suicide bombings

in Brussels, which claimed more So-called Islamic State, or Daesh,

has said it was behind the acts of terrorism at the city's

international airport At least four Britons

were caught up in the bombings. Belgium is observing three days

of national mourning. A minute's silence was held

across the country at 12 noon, which was also observed

in Westminster. In the Commons, David Cameron

was asked about the attacks. Bombers as everywhere and every

time, aim for publicity, public reaction and is unity. Can we

disappoint them by uniting to Hope not hate? My honourable friend is

absolutely right to say that. These people packed their explosives with

nails in order to kill as many innocent people, women and children,

as they possibly could, and we should unite in condemnation, stand

with the people and government of Belgium and all countries afflicted

by this appalling terrorist menace, and say they shall never win.

Later, the Home Secretary spoke about the casualties.

These were ordinary people simply going about their daily lives.

Families going on holiday, tourists visiting the city, workers making

their way to their offices. They have been attacked in the most

brutal and cowardly way, and I'm sure the Whole House will want to

join me in sending sorts and prayers to the victims and families of those

affected by the events. She said it was the 14th attack

in Europe since the start Since 2010, the Government has

undertaken significant work to bolster our efforts to contract the

threat. We extended our ability to refuse airlines the authority to

carry people to the UK who pose a risk, and we introduced a new power

to temporarily seize the passports of those suspected of travelling to

engage in terrorism. This power has now been used on more than 20

occasions. The terrorists sought to strike at the heart of Europe, they

seek to attack our values and want to destroy our way of life, but they

will not succeed. These attacks occurred away from the shores of the

UK, but we should not forget that our own threat level remains at

Sevilla, which means that an attack is highly likely. We will remain

vigilant. The police and security services will remain dedicated to

keeping people safe, and the public should remain alert. Together we

will defeat the terrorists. This is the challenge of our generation, and

is the challenge we will win. I commend this statement to the House.

People will have seen reports suggesting that the suspects were

linked to the attacks in Paris and known to Belgian police. This does

raise the question of whether the Belgian authorities have sufficient

capability to deal with the extent of this problem. Is there more that

can be done to support them all along the term basis, more broadly,

can I say that given the global nature of this threat, the Home

Secretary was entirely writers talk about deepening our collaboration

with all European partners. Watches of the upmost importance when faced

with such serious criminal and terrorist attacks is to ensure that

our response is proportionate, targeted and effective. The

terrorists aim to instil fear and to divide us and destroy our freedoms

and civil liberties, we must not give that narrative. Regrettably I

stand again to condemn these attacks and say that these people are not of

my faith and nor should they can be considered by anybody to be linked

to that faith. At least two of the Paris attackers had gone to Syria to

fight and returned to Europe. 800 British citizens have now gone

abroad, 400 have returned. I accept her assurances about the borders

between our countries and that you countries, but my concern is the

external border of the EU. The anecdotal evidence suggests they

come from Turkey into Greece. Wilshere assure the House that the

Greek government is given all the support it needs in order to be able

to track people when they return to Europe in the first place. Wilshere

Institute of vehicle checks, checks on all vehicles entering the United

Kingdom from Continental ports? Will all passports of people entering our

airports all ports be checked against intelligence sources,

whether or not they have European passports? I say to my are more

friends but as I indicated in my statement, Border Force has

increased the checks it is making at certain ports, but I think there is

a misunderstanding in the question that he asks me, because we do have

checks at our borders, we are able to check passports of people at the

Borders when they come through. Theresa May. And reaction to the

latest act of terrorism then followed over in the House of Lords.

We are not cut off from all of this. This is part of our world, and I

find it despicable that the Brexit campaign should try to suggest that

we could cut ourselves off from the world. That what happens 100 miles

from London in Belgium, in Brussels, is no concern of ours. This was

after all an attack by Belgian citizens in Belgium. How much longer

is the British Government going to resist the introduction of national

identity cards, full biometric hater national identity cards, on the same

basis that other, in indeed nearly all European countries have

introduced, I understand even the Japanese are doing the same. All

justifying it on the basis that it improves their national security

arrangements. Why don't we just do it? Surely it is now urgent that the

Border Force officials should be able to scan a British passport and

no what are the passports that person may hold? Otherwise they may

be able to skip out of the country. Although nobody should attempt to

bring these desperately serious issues into the European referendum

debate, should we not recognise that if there is a change on the 23rd of

June, although it is crucially important that cooperation should

continue, we have to recognise that the context of cooperation would be

altered. Reaction to the Brussels attacks.

Senior Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie has told Boris Johnson

that he has a "very partial and busking" approach

Boris Johnson insisted that the British economy would be

But Andrew Tyrie repeatedly challenged him on the evidence

Your Telegraph article the 22nd of February where you say that there

are these ludicrous rules emanating from the EU, and this is a reason of

your decision to leave, and one of the rules that you cite, one of the

ludicrous rules, and I quote, and EU rule says that you can't recycle a

tea bag, and that children under eight can't blow balloons. Can you

tell me which EU regulation of directive says that children under

eight can't blow up balloons? Yes, the European Commission's own

website, I would be happy to give you the number of the press release

in a moment. Adult supervision is required in the case of the use of

an inflated balloons by children under eight. I have to say, in my

household more or less only children under eight are allowed to blow up

balloons. I do think that it is ludicrous to have this kind of

prescription at a European level it is bonkers, and I think you do, to.

I have the toy safety directive requirements in front of me.

Warning: Children under eight can choke or suffocate. It is asking

that this warning be placed on the packaging. It is not requiring or

forbidding... It is requiring it to be placed on the packaging. It is

requiring a warning to be placed on the packaging, it is not prohibiting

children under eight from blowing up balloons. I think even the European

Union would be hard pushed to prohibit people under eight from

blowing up balloons. Jacob Rees-Mogg said

he was on the same side Rules inevitably come with a court

of some kind, we have the European court of justice, and it is said

that is essential to the proper working of the single market,

otherwise people could do what they liked and ignore the rule book. Do

you think that it is possible to have a free trade area without the

European court of justice? Yes, I do, and I'm very grateful that you

raise that point, because I think people don't understand that 70% of

our trade is with countries outside the EU with whom we don't have any

free trade agreement at all, but of the free trade that there are around

the world, not a single one tries to imitate this anachronistic,

old-fashioned system, devised by idealistic French bureaucrats after

the war... Boris Johnson said there was a lot

of scaremongering about Brexit, and he recalled that when Britain

did not join the euro, Back in 1981, there was an

interesting pamphlet -- 1991 suggesting that the single market

couldn't be complete without a single currency. I didn't say that

either! You have also misrepresented it quite badly. If you go further on

in the document, you will find some very interesting passages explaining

why the project of the euro is being formed at a single rather dangerous

moment. It was not a very interesting document, never say

never. Has anybody ever found that. Order. Common sense on the euro.

Order. It is very kind of you, Boris, to read all of my materials.

Never say never. Tyree makes sense on the euro! URL straight exactly

what I began the session with again, which is very partial, and busking,

few -- humorous approach to a serious question for the UK, and

what we really need is a much more balanced... I am not going to deny

that we need a balanced approach. In which people make an effort to

represent the point that they make and each other's views with some

accuracy. At the end of the session,

the chairman said some "very foolish claims" were being made by

the Remain camp and the Leave camp. You're watching our round-up

of the day in the Commons A Lib Dem MP calls for

the legalisation of cannabis. The famous phrase has certainly

been an appropriate one The Budget of last Wednesday

containing cuts to disability benefits led to Friday's

resignation of Iain Duncan Smith, a U-turn on the benefit changes,

speculation of internal conflict in the Cabinet, and the

subsequent appointment of a new A group of disability rights

campaigners had gathered in Westminster's Central Lobby

as the minutes ticked by to the weekly session

of Prime Ministers Questions. So, would the Labour leader make

the most of this turbulent week? Jeremy Corbyn said the situation

in the Cabinet had been Canada's Prime Minister now

absolutely categorically rule out any further cuts to offer spending

in the lifetime of this Parliament? Simply yes or no.

This is a government committed to supporting the disabled, but it is

worth making the point that in the last two years there are extra 293

extra -- 200 93,000 extra disabled people who've got into work. We want

to continue to close that disability gap. As for the question about

further welfare reduction, let me repeat the statement that the new

welfare secretary made on Monday and the Chancellor made on Tuesday. I

dealt with these issues on Monday. If he doesn't ask the questions, he

can't say I turned up and gave the answers even though he hadn't given

the questions. We are clear, we're not planning additional welfare

savings other than the ones set out in our manifesto.

If it is also fine and dandy, the question has to be asked why did the

member for Chingford feel it necessary to resign as Work and

Pensions Secretary, complaining that the cuts being announced were to fit

arbitrary fiscal targets? You said they were distinctly political,

rather than in the national economic interests. If the initial -- in the

initial announcement, he proposed cuts and then changed his mind,

isn't the honourable member for Chingford right when he says this

was a political decision, rather than one made in the interests

people in this country? What is dressed up from compassion

just means putting off our decisions are making the children to pay the

debt -- making our children repay the debts they went prepared to pay

ourselves stop hiding why the shadow leader of the house shouting at me.

We have a very interesting documents, the spreadsheet of which

Labour MP is on which died. The honourable lady shouting, but it

says here... No, no. She is neutral, but not hostile. Right. The Chief

Whip, on the other hand, is being a bit quiet. Look, Mr Speaker... Mr

Speaker, there are five categories. We've got caught support... I've got

all day, Mr Speaker. We've got core supports. I think you can include

Iain in that. We have core plus. The Chief Whip is being quiet because

she is in hostile. Mr Speaker, I thought I had problems.

Mr Speaker, if I could invite the Prime Minister to leave the theatre

and return to reality. The reality is that he has presided over a

budget that unravelled in two days and now contains a ?4.4 billion

black hole in it. He may wish to consult the Chancellor on yet

another change of heart on this matter. Could he now consult the

Chancellor and tell the country who is going to pay for this black hole?

Is it going to be cuts or tax rises? Where will be cuts fall, where

would-be tax rises take place? 4.4 billion house to be found from

somewhere. -- hast to be found.

Suddenly became a fiscal rectitude speaks. He may have noticed, the

budget passed last night. It is a budget which cut the deficit in

every year of this Parliament. It delivers a surplus by the end of

this Parliament. None of that is going to change. He talks about this

budget. I will tell him... Hold on. The hostile, you shout, hostile

shout, that's right. The neutral but hostile, you have to be quiet, I

think. Hold on. I want to know. Hands up, who is core support plus?

Anyone else? I'll tell you what this budget did, it took 1 million people

out of income tax. It's all more money for our schools. It helped the

poorest people in our country to save, it cut taxes for small

businesses, and the self-employed. It made our economy stronger and our

country fairer. It's a budget that will help this country do better.

Mr Speaker, the truth is it with a budget that followed part in two

days. The truth is, many people with disabilities went through the most

unbelievable levels of stress and trauma after the announcement was

made. There are many people who are still going through stress and

trauma in our society. There are many people who are still... I'm not

sure that those members... I'm not sure, Mr Speaker, those members

opposite about shouting so loudly at the moment have any idea what it is

like to try and balance their budget at home when you don't have enough

money coming in, the rent is going on, and the children need clothes.

Order, order. There is too much shouting on both sides of the house.

Stop it! The Chancellor has failed on debt

targets, failed in deficit targets, as the official figures have shown.

The fiscal rule is quite simply failing.

This is a government spending more on the disabled than in any year

under the last Labour government. We are spending more on the most

disabled, including the most disabled children in our country.

For more Work and Pensions Secretary described the cuts to personal

independence payments for the disabled as divisive, and found

against the national interest. The Chancellor's U-turn suggests he now

agrees. Can the Prime Minister explain how on earth he allowed this

to happen in the first base? It is good to have an intervention

from somebody who is neutral, but not hostile. I'm sure if she keeps

going, she could join core group plus, with the rest of this. She

would be very welcome. I tell you what this government has done, it

has increased spending on disability benefits. It has seen 293,000 more

disabled people into work in the last three years.

The SNP's Westminster leader, meanwhile, took the Prime Minister

He raised the issue of the scrutiny of Britain's special forces,

who are involved in high risk operations around the world.

A defining characteristic of a democratic society is our trust in

our institutions and democratic oversight by parliamentarians of

those who work so hard to keep us safe. We have that oversight without

police. And with our security services. We don't yet have that

with UK special forces under the intelligence and Security committee,

or the Defence Select Committee. Will the Prime Minister addresses?

I'm afraid I just part company with the right honourable gentleman on

this one. We have put in place some of the most extensive oversight

arrangements for intelligence and security services, they do a

remarkable job and, of course, the police are regularly called to

account locally and nationally. I think the work our special forces do

is absolutely vital for our country. They are subject to international

law, as everyone else's in our country. I do not propose to change

the arrangements under which leaving credibly brave men work. -- which of

these incredibly brave men. Just before PMQs, Scottish Question

Time also focused on issues arising A Treasury Minister was quizzed

about changes to funding. I congratulate the Minister on

finding the Chancellor to have those discussions. Earlier this week, we

thought he'd gone walkabout. The budget had ?1 billion worth of cuts

to the Scottish budget, and ?650 million worth of cuts to the English

NHS. Given the vote for us on Social Security cuts, does he think you

might persuade the Chancellor to reverse the Scotland's cuts and

putting a good read for the English as well?

Can I just remind the house that there were three asks coming from

the SNP. Freezing whiskey duty, freezing fuel duty, and helping the

oil and gas industry. That is exactly what the Chancellor

delivered. But a question from the SNP

reflected the falling oil price. Will the Minister and his front

bench colleagues committed to taking action to ensure that companies in

the oil and gas sector have got appropriate access to finance?

We are able to take action in this area and support the oil and gas

actor, because we are ready night in and had we been in the position

where Scotland became independent, it would face a very substantial

loss of revenue and have great difficulties in absorbing that.

Another bid's been made to legalise cannabis in the UK.

Lib Dem MP and former Health Minister Norman Lamb set out

plans to establish a legal market for the production and sale

He said there should be an end to the "war on drugs" which he said

There is an urgent and compelling case for a more rational approach.

Thankfully, around the world, sense is breaking out. In the United

States, Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, Washington and the District of

Columbia have all legalised cannabis. They have done the same

thing in Uruguay. In Portugal, they have decriminalised drug use, a move

which now has cross-party support from right to left. Instead, they

take a health -based approach. Drug-related deaths and sexually

transmitted diseases due to drug use have dramatically decreased as a

result of that change. How many members of this government have

smoked cannabis? Whilst maintaining their support for the conviction of

their fellow citizens. The Prime Minister was a reformer. It was also

reported that he and others were caught smoking cannabis at Eton.

He's gone on to do quite well. Mr Lamb's Bill gained the initial

approval of the House. But without the backing

of the Government, it's very Do join me next time for our final

daily round-up programme before For now, from me,

Keith Macdougall, goodbye.