0:00:18 > 0:00:20Hello there, and welcome to Wednesday In Parliament.
0:00:20 > 0:00:21Coming up:
0:00:21 > 0:00:23The Government U-turns on its National Insurance hike
0:00:23 > 0:00:26for the self-employed.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Isn't it welcome that the Prime Minister today has
0:00:29 > 0:00:32admitted she is for turning with her screeching, embarrassing
0:00:32 > 0:00:35U-turn on National Insurance?
0:00:35 > 0:00:36The Brexit Secretary is asked,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40what cost leaving the EU without a deal?
0:00:40 > 0:00:43And ministers are urged to get tough on internet safety.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47What is the Government's plan to protect victims of online abuse?
0:00:47 > 0:00:49But first - this time last week all the headlines
0:00:49 > 0:00:52were about the Chancellor's plans to increase National Insurance
0:00:52 > 0:00:55contributions for self-employed people.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Almost as soon as Philip Hammond announced the change in the budget,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01there were complaints from Conservatives MPs,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04who accused him of breaking an election promise not to put up
0:01:04 > 0:01:09National Insurance, income tax or VAT.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Ministers spent seven days defending the proposals.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Then, shortly before Prime Minister's Questions,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Mr Hammond said he wouldn't press ahead with the increase
0:01:16 > 0:01:17in this parliament -
0:01:17 > 0:01:23in other words, things won't change until after the next election.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25A helpful question from a friendly Conservative MP right at the start
0:01:25 > 0:01:31of PMQs gave Theresa May the opportunity to set out her case.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33I welcome the announcement from this Government that we will abide
0:01:33 > 0:01:38by the letter of our manifesto and also the spirit.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42CHEERING AND JEERING
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Mr Speaker, will the Prime Minister agree with me that, as we move
0:01:46 > 0:01:48towards balancing the books, we must ensure we have a fair
0:01:48 > 0:01:54and sustainable tax system in place?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56As a number of my parliamentary colleagues have been
0:01:56 > 0:01:58pointing out in recent days, the trend towards greater
0:01:58 > 0:02:01self-employment does create a structural issue in the tax base
0:02:01 > 0:02:04on which we will have to act, and we want to ensure
0:02:04 > 0:02:08that we maintain, as they have said, fairness in the tax system.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11So, we are going to await the report from Matthew Taylor
0:02:11 > 0:02:13on the future of employment.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16We will consider the Government's overall approach to employment
0:02:16 > 0:02:20status and rights, to tax and entitlements.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22We will bring forward further proposals,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25but we will not bring forward increases to NICs
0:02:25 > 0:02:28later in this Parliament.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31We have just heard the Prime Minister is about to drop
0:02:31 > 0:02:35the National Insurance hike announced only a week ago.
0:02:35 > 0:02:45It seems to me like a Government in a bit of chaos, here.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47A budget...
0:02:47 > 0:02:52A budget that unravels in seven days, a Conservative manifesto
0:02:52 > 0:02:57with a very pensive Prime Minister on the front page saying
0:02:57 > 0:02:59there would be no increase -
0:02:59 > 0:03:03a week ago, an increase was announced.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06If they are to drop this increase, as they are indicating,
0:03:06 > 0:03:11then this is a time that she should thank the Federation
0:03:11 > 0:03:14of Small Businesses and all those that have pointed out just how
0:03:14 > 0:03:21unfair this increase would be, but also how big business evades
0:03:21 > 0:03:25an awful lot of National Insurance through bogus self-employment.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30Prime Minister!
0:03:30 > 0:03:32I have to say to the right honourable gentlemen,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I don't think he actually listened to the answer I gave
0:03:35 > 0:03:37to my honourable friend, the member for Bexhill and Battle.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40But I normally stand at this dispatch voice and say
0:03:40 > 0:03:42I won't take any lectures from the right honourable gentlemen.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44When it comes to lectures on chaos,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47he'd be the first person I'd turn to.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Jeremy Corbyn!
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Mr Speaker, I do... I think...
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I think the Prime Minister should offer an apology for the chaos
0:03:56 > 0:04:01that her Government has caused during the past week,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04and the stress it's caused to the 4.8 million self-employed
0:04:04 > 0:04:06people in this country.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Will she offer that apology?
0:04:09 > 0:04:12This measure, if carried through, will create
0:04:12 > 0:04:15a black hole in the budget.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20What is she going to do to fill that black hole?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Prime Minister!
0:04:22 > 0:04:25If the right honourable gentlemen is so concerned
0:04:25 > 0:04:29about balancing the books, why is it Labour Party policy
0:04:29 > 0:04:35to borrow ?0.5 trillion and bankrupt Britain?
0:04:35 > 0:04:38We once had a Prime Minister who said that
0:04:38 > 0:04:39"the lady is not for turning".
0:04:39 > 0:04:41My goodness.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Isn't it welcome that the Prime Minister today has
0:04:43 > 0:04:48admitted she is for turning, with her screeching, embarrassing
0:04:48 > 0:04:51U-turn on National Insurance?
0:04:51 > 0:04:53The Prime Minister has just done a ?2 billion budget U-turn
0:04:53 > 0:04:55in the space of a week.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Last year, the Government did a ?4 billion U-turn
0:04:59 > 0:05:01in the space of five days.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Is that why they want to abolish spring budgets -
0:05:03 > 0:05:05cos they just keep ripping them up?
0:05:05 > 0:05:08I welcome the measures in the spring budget to ensure
0:05:08 > 0:05:13that we're putting money into schools, into skills
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and into social care, and I'd have thought that the right
0:05:16 > 0:05:18honourable lady would have accepted that money into schools,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21skills and social care is good for this country.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22Theresa May.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Well, a short time later, the Chancellor himself came
0:05:25 > 0:05:28to the Commons to make a statement to MPs.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Mr Speaker, it is very important, both to me and my right honourable
0:05:31 > 0:05:35friend the Prime Minister, that we comply not just
0:05:35 > 0:05:39with the letter but also the spirit of the commitments that were made.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Hear, hear.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Therefore, as I set out in my letter this morning
0:05:44 > 0:05:46to the chairman of the select committee, my right honourable
0:05:46 > 0:05:49friend the member for Chichester, I have decided not to proceed
0:05:49 > 0:05:55with the class for NICs measures set out in the budget.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57There will be no increases in National Insurance contribution
0:05:57 > 0:06:01rates in this Parliament.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04The change of heart was welcomed by a leading Tory
0:06:04 > 0:06:05critic of the policy.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06The genuinely self-employed carry real financial risks
0:06:06 > 0:06:11by working for themselves, and I know that the Conservative
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Government really wants a tax system that will support risk-takers
0:06:13 > 0:06:16and growth creators, so will the Chancellor commit
0:06:16 > 0:06:19to work with colleagues over the coming months, who believe
0:06:19 > 0:06:22it is time to take a holistic and simplifying view on personal
0:06:22 > 0:06:24taxation for the self-employed,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26which will support wholeheartedly those who build
0:06:26 > 0:06:29new businesses and take risks?
0:06:29 > 0:06:34Yes, Mr Speaker, I can assure my honourable friend
0:06:34 > 0:06:37that this Government will always be on the side of those who genuinely
0:06:37 > 0:06:41strive to take risks, to innovate, to grow businesses and to contribute
0:06:41 > 0:06:44in that way to the economy.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Might the Chancellor consider, to make up the loss in revenue,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51to bear down on those employers who force their employees
0:06:51 > 0:06:54into self-employment against their wish,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58destabilise their lives, and thereby get out of paying
0:06:58 > 0:07:02National Insurance contributions, as all good employers do pay?
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Who first realised that the Government were in flagrant breach
0:07:04 > 0:07:11of their manifesto commitment?
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Was it the Chancellor or was it the Prime Minister?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16And if manifestos are now paramount, and all parties must seek
0:07:16 > 0:07:18to implement their manifesto, will the Chancellor confirm,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20since he intends to go ahead with these changes,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22that they will appear in the Conservative manifesto
0:07:22 > 0:07:24at the next election, so the self-employed
0:07:24 > 0:07:27can vote accordingly?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30The Chancellor said he wouldn't be drawn on future commitments.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33As to Alex Salmond's first question...
0:07:33 > 0:07:38Who first raised the issue of the manifesto, I think,
0:07:38 > 0:07:40credit where credit is due...
0:07:40 > 0:07:42I think it was actually Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47shortly after I said it in the budget speech.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50At the end of the statement, a Conservative raised a point
0:07:50 > 0:07:52of order with the speaker.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Mr Speaker, as a slavish supporter of the Government,
0:07:55 > 0:08:00I'm in some difficulty, because my article robustly
0:08:00 > 0:08:05supporting the Chancellor's early policy in the Forest Journal
0:08:05 > 0:08:07is already with the printer.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09LAUGHTER
0:08:09 > 0:08:13And I just...
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Having been persuaded of the correctness of the course
0:08:16 > 0:08:19that he's now following, I merely needed an opportunity
0:08:19 > 0:08:22in which to recant.
0:08:22 > 0:08:30LAUGHTER
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Well, I hope the right honourable gentleman is now satisfied that,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36by the wanton abuse of the point of order procedure,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40he has found his own salvation.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42We'll leave it there.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Let's go back to Prime Minister's Questions,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48where the SNP's Westminster leader turned to Brexit.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51On Monday, just hours before the bill which gives Theresa May
0:08:51 > 0:08:54the authority to begin the UK's exit from the EU was approved
0:08:54 > 0:08:58by parliament, the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00announced plans for another independence vote.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05Angus Robertson reminded Theresa May she'd promised a UK-wide agreement
0:09:05 > 0:09:08before triggering Article 50.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12He is comparing membership of an organisation that we've been
0:09:12 > 0:09:15a member of for 40 years with our country.
0:09:15 > 0:09:21We have been one country for over 300 years.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We have fought together, we've worked together,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25we have achieved together,
0:09:25 > 0:09:31and constitutional gameplaying must not be allowed to break the deep
0:09:31 > 0:09:37bonds of our shared history and our future together.
0:09:37 > 0:09:47Angus Robertson!
0:09:47 > 0:09:54Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister can wag her finger as much as she likes.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Last year she made a promise.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57She promised an agreement.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59There's not an agreement.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03When will there be an agreement?
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Because, does she not understand?
0:10:05 > 0:10:10If she does not secure an agreement before triggering Article 50,
0:10:10 > 0:10:17if she is not prepared to negotiate on behalf of the Scottish Government
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and secure membership of the single European market, people in Scotland
0:10:20 > 0:10:26will have a referendum and we will have our say!
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Scotland will be leaving the European Union.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32It will leave the European Union either as a member of
0:10:32 > 0:10:35the United Kingdom or, were it independent,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38it's very clear with the Barroso document that it
0:10:38 > 0:10:40would not be a member of the European Union.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44What we need now is to unite, to come together as a country,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47and to ensure that we can get the best deal for the whole
0:10:47 > 0:10:50of the United Kingdom.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Our First Minister was elected with the largest vote in
0:10:52 > 0:10:57Scottish parliamentary history, on a manifesto pledge which stated
0:10:57 > 0:10:59that the Scottish Parliament should have the right to hold
0:10:59 > 0:11:01an independence referendum if there's a significant
0:11:01 > 0:11:04and material change in circumstances,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07like Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10So, my question to the Prime Minister is simple.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Wheesht!
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Does she agree that governments should stick
0:11:14 > 0:11:16to their manifesto promises?
0:11:16 > 0:11:17At least once.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21And, if so, she cannot object to the First Minister sticking to hers.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24In September 2014, the Scottish people were given the opportunity
0:11:24 > 0:11:27to vote as to whether or not they wished to remain
0:11:27 > 0:11:29in the United Kingdom.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34They chose that Scotland should remain part of the United Kingdom.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37That was described by the right honourable gentleman,
0:11:37 > 0:11:43the member for Gordon, as a once-in-a-generation vote.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47And the other vote to take note of is that on June 23 last year,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and that is what we are going to do.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56The Brexit Secretary David Davis has told MPs that the Government has not
0:11:56 > 0:11:59made an economic assessment of the implications of leaving
0:11:59 > 0:12:03the EU without a deal since the referendum.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05He made his remarks during a two-hour session with the Brexit
0:12:05 > 0:12:08committee, during which he told MPs they were
0:12:08 > 0:12:11"putting words into his mouth".
0:12:11 > 0:12:14So, can you just confirm that no deal would mean
0:12:14 > 0:12:18that British businesses would face tariffs and other
0:12:18 > 0:12:22nontariff barriers in their trade with the 27 member states of the EU?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25A simple yes or no will suffice.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30I'm afraid a simple yes or no doesn't actually do it, Mr Chairman.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34The presumption of no deal is literally that.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Sorry, could you just say that again?
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Can you hear me all right?
0:12:37 > 0:12:38That's fine.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40The presumption of no deal is literally that.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It would be a presumption and it is a presumption at this
0:12:43 > 0:12:46point of most favoured nation status under the World Trade Organisation
0:12:46 > 0:12:51arrangements, which means there will be tariffs.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53It doesn't say very much about nontariff barriers,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56but the presumption you're making is probably right.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00So there would be tariffs and that would mean, for example,
0:13:00 > 0:13:07UK producers of dairy and meat produce would be facing tariffs
0:13:07 > 0:13:13of 30% to 40%, and on cars, it would be 10%, is that correct?
0:13:13 > 0:13:14That's properly correct.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16That is correct, good, thank you.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Forgive me, Mr Chairman, I don't want to mislead
0:13:18 > 0:13:19the committee or let them...
0:13:19 > 0:13:20Not at all.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21By absence.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23The range of tariffs is from next to nothing,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25in fact nothing, right through to very high
0:13:25 > 0:13:26numbers on agriculture.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29You're quite right, the numbers in agriculture are high
0:13:29 > 0:13:31because of the protectionist nature of the Common Agricultural Policy.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33OK, can you tell the committee whether the Government has
0:13:33 > 0:13:38undertaken an economic assessment of the implications for the British
0:13:38 > 0:13:45economy and for British businesses of there being no deal?
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Well, it made an estimate during the Leave campaign,
0:13:48 > 0:13:53the referendum campaign but I think one of the issues that's arisen
0:13:53 > 0:13:56is that those forecasts don't appear to have exactly been very
0:13:56 > 0:13:59robust since then.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00Right, my question...
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Not since then.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04The answer is, if you mean under my time, no.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07So you're saying there has been no further assessment
0:14:07 > 0:14:10of the implications of no deal at all since before
0:14:10 > 0:14:12the referendum, is that correct?
0:14:12 > 0:14:13No, that's not correct.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15You're putting words in my mouth.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16No, no, no.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17Yes, you are.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20One of the difficulties about your sort of style of sort of yes,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22no answers and questions is, of course, you don't deal
0:14:22 > 0:14:27with what we can do to mitigate.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Much of this is about mitigation.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Any forecast that you may, any forecast that you make depends
0:14:31 > 0:14:34on the mitigation you undertake.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37A Conservative was struck by the concerns the committee had
0:14:37 > 0:14:39heard on a trip to Dublin.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42When we were over there, the feeling was that there is a lot
0:14:42 > 0:14:45of warm words from the UK around the situation in Ireland but
0:14:45 > 0:14:48there's no actual clear solutions and we're days away from triggering
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Article 50 and, you know, Ireland, both Northern Ireland
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and the Republic of Ireland need certainty about what
0:14:53 > 0:14:54is going to happen.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58So, can you be a bit more specific about what's going to happen around
0:14:58 > 0:14:59custom checks to goods?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01HMRC are working on this at the moment.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03The Northern Ireland Office are working on this at the moment.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05We're having discussions with the Irish Republic
0:15:05 > 0:15:06on this at the moment.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08So that's all going on.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09OK, so that's a work in progress.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11What about the common travel area?
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Have we got agreement from the other 27 member states of the common
0:15:14 > 0:15:18travel area we can resort to what was there before?
0:15:18 > 0:15:20It is our intention and it's the Irish Republic's
0:15:20 > 0:15:24intention to maintain it.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26OK, so that's also still a work in progress.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27No, no, no, stop.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Let's not put words in my mouth.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30What I have said to you...
0:15:30 > 0:15:32But you can't give us assurance today.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34No, it's plainly what we intend and plainly what we expect.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38If you like, if you want to put a label on this entire hearing,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41you can call it all a work in progress because we actually
0:15:41 > 0:15:42haven't engaged in negotiation yet.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44I'm telling you very specifically this is a very
0:15:44 > 0:15:45well-defined, intended policy.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Please do not reinforce the problems you were talking
0:15:49 > 0:15:52about in Northern Ireland by calling everything a work in progress.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55That's why people get worried about this.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58We're aiming very plainly and a very clear outcome.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01With respect, we were in Dublin a few weeks ago and this is,
0:16:01 > 0:16:05you know, what we were told by politicians in Ireland
0:16:05 > 0:16:07that they have huge concerns about the uncertainty and they want
0:16:08 > 0:16:09certainty as soon as possible.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11You're watching Wednesday in Parliament with me,
0:16:11 > 0:16:17Alicia McCarthy.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19The Prime Minister has insisted women should be free
0:16:19 > 0:16:20to choose how they dress.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23She was responding to this week's European court ruling that workers
0:16:23 > 0:16:25can be banned from wearing headscarves and other
0:16:25 > 0:16:28religious symbols.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31The European Court of Justice ruling was prompted by the case
0:16:31 > 0:16:33of a receptionist in Belgium who was fired for
0:16:33 > 0:16:37wearing a headscarf at the security company, G4S.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40In a statement later, the Equalities Minister said
0:16:40 > 0:16:44the judgment did not fundamentally change the law.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47This Government is completely opposed to discrimination, including
0:16:47 > 0:16:53whether on the grounds of gender or religion or both.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56And it is right of all women to choose how they dress
0:16:56 > 0:16:59and we do not believe that these judgments change that.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Exactly the same legal protections apply today
0:17:03 > 0:17:05as did before the rulings.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07We have a long tradition in this country for
0:17:07 > 0:17:09respecting religious freedom and many people
0:17:09 > 0:17:12will frankly listen in disbelief
0:17:12 > 0:17:16to the court's ruling that a corporate multinational like G4S
0:17:16 > 0:17:19risks its corporate neutrality being undermined
0:17:19 > 0:17:24by a receptionist in Belgium wearing a headscarf.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27At what point did the law decide that
0:17:27 > 0:17:31expressing religious belief through a cross,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33a turban or a headscarf was a threat
0:17:33 > 0:17:37to organisational neutrality?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41It is and it does remain unlawful to directly discriminate
0:17:41 > 0:17:44against someone because of their religion or to create spurious rules
0:17:44 > 0:17:46which would prevent them from wearing religious clothing
0:17:46 > 0:17:48or jewellery.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Employers can, however, enforce a dress code but it must
0:17:51 > 0:17:55be for proportionate and legitimate reasons and must equally apply
0:17:55 > 0:18:00to all employees.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Women and men must be allowed to choose their expression of faith.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Simply put, this judgment is not consistent with the British
0:18:06 > 0:18:07liberal and human rights tradition.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Of real concern is the implications this may now have for faith
0:18:10 > 0:18:11communities.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Already, Madam Deputy Speaker, far right across Europe are
0:18:13 > 0:18:18rallying around this judgment.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing a big difference
0:18:21 > 0:18:23between a headscarf, crucifix or turban and
0:18:23 > 0:18:25the burqa or niqab.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28I wonder how this judgment will affect the two police forces
0:18:28 > 0:18:30that I am aware of which are currently stating
0:18:30 > 0:18:33that they are considering or willing to consider applications
0:18:33 > 0:18:36from female police officers who may want to wear
0:18:36 > 0:18:38a full niqab or burqa.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Where the job is safe for them to continue to wear
0:18:41 > 0:18:45their religious garments, then we feel very much
0:18:45 > 0:18:47that they should be encouraged to do so.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51In 99.9% of jobs, including the security guard,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54your ability to do a job is not affected by whether you wear
0:18:54 > 0:19:00a skull cap, a headscarf, a turban, a cross, mangalsutra,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02a tilaka or any such thing.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05We don't want any employers mistakenly thinking that
0:19:05 > 0:19:08this ruling gives them any kind of authority to sack any public
0:19:08 > 0:19:10facing staff who wear headscarves or any other form
0:19:10 > 0:19:11of religious symbols.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14These protections are already in our domestic law, it's very clear
0:19:14 > 0:19:15and we will always make sure
0:19:15 > 0:19:21that they are enforced in the strongest possible way.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The rules around Personal Independence Payments, or Pips,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26which help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition
0:19:26 > 0:19:28or disability, change this week.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33Ministers said they were forced to act after two court judgments
0:19:33 > 0:19:35made the benefit more generous, ruling that claimants
0:19:35 > 0:19:38with psychological problems who cannot travel without help must
0:19:38 > 0:19:41be treated like those who are blind.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44The Government argues restoring the original intention of the policy
0:19:44 > 0:19:49would save ?3.7 billion by 2023.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53The opposition demanded the Government think again.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56The Government's decision to change the law on Pip is a clear
0:19:56 > 0:19:59example of the way people with mental health conditions are not
0:19:59 > 0:20:00given an equal treatment.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02So does the Secretary of State agree that
0:20:02 > 0:20:04his department's new guidance issued yesterday that mobility impairments
0:20:04 > 0:20:11caused by psychological issues are not relevant?
0:20:11 > 0:20:14The truth is that Pip is much better as a benefit for
0:20:14 > 0:20:20people with mental health conditions than the predecessor benefit DLA.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22It is absolutely the case under these
0:20:22 > 0:20:25regulations and under Pip regulations that people can receive
0:20:25 > 0:20:30the highest rate of the mobility component of Pip with a cognitive
0:20:30 > 0:20:33impairment alone.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36This is a cut and it directly targets people with
0:20:36 > 0:20:37mental health problems.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39What the regulation, taking effect tomorrow, does
0:20:39 > 0:20:43is to insert in the qualifying conditions for Pip in the section
0:20:43 > 0:20:46about planning and following a journey, the phrase, "other than for
0:20:46 > 0:20:52reasons of psychological distress."
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Would my right honourable friend confirm again that
0:20:54 > 0:20:56actually there is no cuts
0:20:56 > 0:20:58involved in this at all to people who have been previously
0:20:58 > 0:21:02awarded through Pip and secondly, that actually those with mental
0:21:02 > 0:21:06health disabilities get more under Pip than they did under DLA?
0:21:06 > 0:21:09The International Development Secretary has told MPs Britain
0:21:09 > 0:21:12is helping to win the propaganda war against so called Islamic State
0:21:12 > 0:21:14on social media.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Priti Patel said the volume of posts on social media by the group had
0:21:17 > 0:21:23fallen by 75% over the past 12 months.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25And on social media, Daesh posts now outnumber
0:21:25 > 0:21:28the pro-Daesh propaganda six to one.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29The UK is leading...
0:21:29 > 0:21:33The UK's leading coalition efforts to do this.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39Much progress has been made against Daesh and since 2014, they
0:21:39 > 0:21:43have lost 62% of territory they once held in Iraq and 30% in Syria.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47But there remains much more still to be done.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Even once Daesh is militarily defeated, we must continue to be
0:21:52 > 0:21:54wary of its resurgence.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57In Iraq, this means supporting the government
0:21:57 > 0:22:01of Iraq to restore order and be accountable to all of its people to
0:22:01 > 0:22:02meet their needs.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04And in Syria, it means continuing our efforts to deliver
0:22:04 > 0:22:08a political settlement that enables a transition
0:22:08 > 0:22:10away from Assad towards a government that serves
0:22:10 > 0:22:12all of the Syrian people.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Dfid's core role is to tackle the global challenges
0:22:15 > 0:22:17of our time, including poverty and disease, mass migration,
0:22:17 > 0:22:21insecurity and conflict.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25I believe that now we must come together with cross-party support
0:22:25 > 0:22:28for helping the most vulnerable civilian refugees
0:22:28 > 0:22:31most affected by Daesh.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34The UK needs to commit to taking its fair share of
0:22:34 > 0:22:37refugees, 20,000 over five years is not a fair share,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39nor is 350 under the Dubs scheme.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42And if ODA money is to be used by other Government departments,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45the Home Office can use it for the first year of resettlement.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Mr Speaker, the former Prime Minister
0:22:47 > 0:22:49said UK military involvement in Syria
0:22:49 > 0:22:51would cut off the head of the snake.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Where is the evidence that that has happened?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Humanitarian response is not just the right thing
0:22:56 > 0:22:58to do to make us safer.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00As long as people in Syria and Iraq
0:23:00 > 0:23:01live with the consequences of UK military
0:23:01 > 0:23:03adventurism, we have a responsibility to help
0:23:03 > 0:23:05clean up the mess.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06Patrick Grady.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Well, we heard Priti Patel there talking
0:23:08 > 0:23:12about the use of social media and down the corridor
0:23:12 > 0:23:15in the Lords Peers pressed the Government to impose a duty
0:23:15 > 0:23:17on social media companies to tackle online abuse.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Last week, when the BBC questioned over 100 images
0:23:21 > 0:23:25of children on Facebook, only 18 were removed as a result.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28The BBC were then asked to send screen grabs of the
0:23:28 > 0:23:31images to Facebook and instead of acting to take them down,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Facebook then reported the BBC journalist to the police.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Yesterday, Google, Twitter and Facebook appeared before
0:23:35 > 0:23:38the Home Affairs Select Committee, where Twitter admitted they were
0:23:38 > 0:23:41doing not a good enough job on hate crime.
0:23:41 > 0:23:47The noble lady expects robust processes to be in place but if she
0:23:47 > 0:23:49won't consider statutory guidance, what is the Government's plan to
0:23:49 > 0:23:53protect victims of online abuse?
0:23:53 > 0:23:59I take note the noble lady's recounting to the House the issues
0:23:59 > 0:24:03that you raised and the BBC case last week.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06It is, of course, right that we continue to keep our
0:24:06 > 0:24:08position under review.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13But a complete response to this problem requires more than just
0:24:13 > 0:24:16legislation, it requires the support of internet service providers and
0:24:16 > 0:24:18their communities, it requires the application of advanced
0:24:18 > 0:24:22technologies.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24For instance, in our work encountering violent extremism,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26it requires counter narrative initiatives, disruption mechanism,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28robust complaints and takedown procedures.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31All of this to safely challenge the hate that people are
0:24:31 > 0:24:32facing online.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It's far too easy to access abusive and explicit content
0:24:35 > 0:24:39on social media services, including Facebook, Twitter,
0:24:39 > 0:24:47Snapchat, Instagram, Yik Yap, Vine, Kik and doubtless many others.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49And that such companies need to do more to help parents
0:24:49 > 0:24:53parent in order that children can take advantage of
0:24:53 > 0:24:58technology in a safe and responsible way.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03The noble lady is absolutely correct, it is indeed important
0:25:03 > 0:25:07that these companies take responsibility for thei actions.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12The majority of the internet platforms
0:25:12 > 0:25:14are based overseas and they provide global
0:25:14 > 0:25:16services and as this House is fully aware, there
0:25:16 > 0:25:17is significant complexity to introducing any regime
0:25:17 > 0:25:19that governs online activity, including keeping any such
0:25:19 > 0:25:22obligation current, given the speed and evolution of technology and
0:25:22 > 0:25:26given the global nature of the internet and the extraterritorial
0:25:26 > 0:25:29jurisdiction that applies.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32And that's it from me for now but do join me at the same time
0:25:32 > 0:25:34tomorrow for another round up of the best
0:25:34 > 0:25:36of the day here in Parliament,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38including Culture Questions, a debate on the Chilcot inquiry
0:25:38 > 0:25:40into the Iraq war and a debate on suicide prevention.
0:25:40 > 0:25:48But for now, from me, Alicia McCarthy, goodbye.