0:00:17 > 0:00:19Hello and welcome to the programme.
0:00:19 > 0:00:26Coming up, the Brexit debate gets a bit shouty.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31Standup! Let's get on with leaving the EU.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Labour mocks Government plans to help gig economy workers.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39We see the creation of a website about and be self-employed to talk
0:00:39 > 0:00:40to each other. Well, bravo.
0:00:40 > 0:00:46And who just can't wait for his birthday?
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I don't celebrate things like that. I don't think you should celebrate
0:00:49 > 0:00:50age.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I know this isn't the first time I've said this and it won't be
0:00:53 > 0:00:55the last, but it's a big week for Brexit.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Theresa May has chaired the first of two key meetings with her senior
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Ministers as the Government faces more calls to clarify
0:01:00 > 0:01:01the UK's position.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04On Wednesday the Brexit cabinet committee sketched out
0:01:04 > 0:01:06what the future relationship between the UK and EU
0:01:06 > 0:01:08might look like.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12What conclusion they came to, we don't know but the issue came up
0:01:12 > 0:01:14several times in the Commons.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18First, in a spirited intervention by one DUP MP,
0:01:18 > 0:01:25echoing of the words of his father during the Troubles.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Does the Minister agree with me that it is about time the Government
0:01:29 > 0:01:34demonstrated a no surrender attitude to the European bureaucrats who try
0:01:34 > 0:01:42to blackmail us and over -- standup for stand up to the EU and let's get
0:01:42 > 0:01:44on with leaving the EU!
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Well, that plea came moments before the start
0:01:46 > 0:01:48of Prime Minister's Questions during which the chair
0:01:48 > 0:01:53of the Brexit Committee raised the matter again.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56The prime Minister will be aware that all free trade agreements
0:01:56 > 0:02:01involve some customs checks and therefore infrastructure at
0:02:01 > 0:02:06frontiers which would be completely incompatible with maintaining an
0:02:06 > 0:02:11open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. As the Cabinet
0:02:11 > 0:02:14subcommittee is finally getting around to discussing this, could the
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Prime Minister explain to the House why she is so opposed to the UK
0:02:19 > 0:02:23remaining any customs with the EU when not only would this be better
0:02:23 > 0:02:29for the British economy, but what also helped to ensure that that
0:02:29 > 0:02:36border remains as it is today which is what all of us want?The United
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Kingdom is leaving the European unit that means we are leaving the single
0:02:40 > 0:02:43market, the customs union because if we were full numbers of the customs
0:02:43 > 0:02:46union we would not be able to do trade to the gas trade unions around
0:02:46 > 0:02:50the rest of the world. We will have an independent trade policy and do
0:02:50 > 0:02:54those deals. He asked about those originals, I suggested he will at
0:02:54 > 0:02:57the paper that was published by the Government last summer.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59And from the other end of the Brexit spectrum,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03a different question.
0:03:03 > 0:03:10I want her about ultimatums from the EU last summer. Again last week,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14which she'd be good enough to be very robust when discussing these
0:03:14 > 0:03:18messages in the committees. I'm sure she will be in order to ensure that
0:03:18 > 0:03:24we repudiate any of these EU threats?As a separate from the very
0:03:24 > 0:03:28beginning we will hear noises off and also to things being said about
0:03:28 > 0:03:32positions being taken. What matters is the positions we take in
0:03:32 > 0:03:34negotiations as we sit down and negotiate the best deal. We're shown
0:03:34 > 0:03:38we can do that. We did it in December we will do it again.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41The head of the Parole Board has said action is needed to make
0:03:41 > 0:03:43the reasons for its decisions public and its judgements
0:03:43 > 0:03:44easier to challenge.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Nick Hardwick's comments come in the wake of controversy over
0:03:47 > 0:03:49the decision to release John Worboys.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Worboys was jailed indefinitely in 2009
0:03:52 > 0:03:55with a minimum term of eight years for drugging and sexually
0:03:55 > 0:03:57assaulting women.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Two of his victims have been given the go-ahead
0:03:59 > 0:04:03to challenge his release at a judicial review next month.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The Government has ordered a review of the transparency
0:04:06 > 0:04:08of Parole Board decisions.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Professor Hardwick told the Justice Committee that people
0:04:11 > 0:04:19didn't really understand what the parole board did:
0:04:19 > 0:04:23We could do much more than we do at present to explain individual
0:04:23 > 0:04:31decisions. There are risks to doing that. And they need to be carefully
0:04:31 > 0:04:36explored and considered stop with its an awareness and education
0:04:36 > 0:04:43programme. For proposals can you second yourself? There are number of
0:04:43 > 0:04:49different steps that we are in the process of taking. I think there
0:04:49 > 0:04:53I think we need to have accessible information about the process and
0:04:53 > 0:04:56the number of different formats and the number of different platforms.
0:04:56 > 0:05:07We can't do and we're absolutely printedis explaining anything about
0:05:07 > 0:05:13an individual case. Even the most basic of things. Talking about
0:05:13 > 0:05:20completely different cases, you will have victims ask for information
0:05:20 > 0:05:22about licence commissions. We have information about licence
0:05:22 > 0:05:27commissions that would reassure them. They would find comforting.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32And we can't tell them. We can go much further, much further in
0:05:32 > 0:05:35explaining our decisions to people so that they have a real sense of
0:05:35 > 0:05:41what we're doing. They may like what we are doing, they may not agree
0:05:41 > 0:05:49with us. But at least they will have some basis to know. As related thing
0:05:49 > 0:05:53about there could be a change and it can make a challenge to the process
0:05:53 > 0:05:56puzzle. You can judge you because they don't know how to -- they deny
0:05:56 > 0:05:57we make decisions.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59we make decisions.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02That he said needed to change:
0:06:02 > 0:06:07It seems to me that it is undignified things and go and find a
0:06:07 > 0:06:13review. That is our situation. But we can't do is make every decision
0:06:13 > 0:06:13twice.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14twice.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17But victims needed better information:
0:06:17 > 0:06:24One of the things we should look at his victims getting... Victims who
0:06:24 > 0:06:30wants to get one, getting a summary of the parole board's decisions. And
0:06:30 > 0:06:36I think they should get that. Let's may change, but think big change but
0:06:36 > 0:06:42let's think it through carefully and not do it in a hasty gut reaction.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44in a hasty gut reaction.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45A report by the Chief Inspector of Probation
0:06:45 > 0:06:48found the correct procedures had been followed, but victims found out
0:06:48 > 0:06:50about his release from the media.
0:06:50 > 0:06:57It was critical of the "victim contact scheme":
0:06:57 > 0:07:00To my mind of every victim whether they opted in or not should know
0:07:00 > 0:07:05what the parole board hearing is happening. Know if the decisions are
0:07:05 > 0:07:07made and given a chance to observe that before it becomes general
0:07:07 > 0:07:13release. We need to set up this principle speaking with those who
0:07:13 > 0:07:23represent victims to get this right. Had even given a time frame?We are
0:07:23 > 0:07:27comfortable that we can give a report by Easter. We will specific
0:07:27 > 0:07:32-- we will focus on four specific issues, whether we should ask to
0:07:32 > 0:07:35reconsider one of its decisions we will be doing some work around that.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39We will be looking at transparency and parole Board decisions that need
0:07:39 > 0:07:44to have a more transparency system so that victims know more about
0:07:44 > 0:07:49licence conditions and knowing about whether we can create an online
0:07:49 > 0:07:54register or some ways and that we can... This is only the came across
0:07:54 > 0:07:58very strongly from the report is how we communicate with the victims. We
0:07:58 > 0:08:02need to use the latest technology to make sure that happens in a much
0:08:02 > 0:08:05more reliable and expedient and high-quality way.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08You're watching Wednesday in Parliament with me, Mandy Baker.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Now Jeremy Corbyn's battleground of choice for this week's
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Prime Minister's Questions was crime figures.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Last month the Office for National Statistics said
0:08:18 > 0:08:21the number of violent crimes and sex offences recorded by police
0:08:21 > 0:08:26in England and Wales has risen sharply over the past year.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30But the separate Crime Survey, based on people's experiences, suggested
0:08:30 > 0:08:34crime was continuing to fall.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36And with that in mind, battle commenced
0:08:36 > 0:08:43with a particularly pithy question.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48With crime rising, does the Prime Minister regret cutting 21,000
0:08:48 > 0:08:51police officers?What we have actually seen from the crime survey
0:08:51 > 0:08:59is that crime is not down at record low levels. That is what has been
0:08:59 > 0:09:02achieved and it has been achieved by conservative government that at the
0:09:02 > 0:09:09same time has been protecting police budgets.Mr Speaker, recorded crime
0:09:09 > 0:09:14is up by one fifth since 2010, violent crime up by 20%, and during
0:09:14 > 0:09:21the period that the premise or was home Secretary, £2.3 billion was cut
0:09:21 > 0:09:26from police budgets. Her Majesty posited Inspectorate of constabulary
0:09:26 > 0:09:29was at neighbourhood policing rest of being eroded and the shortage of
0:09:29 > 0:09:34detectives is at a national crisis. Does the Prime Minister think the
0:09:34 > 0:09:39inspector is scaremongering?The right honourable German pages the
0:09:39 > 0:09:44issue about crime. -- gentlemen. One of the things we're seeing in recent
0:09:44 > 0:09:49years is ensuring we get a proper recording of certain types of crime
0:09:49 > 0:09:52and I am pleased to say that we have seen improvements over the last
0:09:52 > 0:09:59seven to eight years in the recorded types of crimes. He also talks about
0:09:59 > 0:10:04the issue of police budgets. As I have said this is a government that
0:10:04 > 0:10:07has detected police budgets.At the chief Constable of Bedfordshire says
0:10:07 > 0:10:14we do not have the resources to keep residents safe, the position is a
0:10:14 > 0:10:16scandal. Too many people don't feel safe and too many people are safe.
0:10:16 > 0:10:22We have just seen the highest rise in recorded crime for a quarter of a
0:10:22 > 0:10:25century. The chief counsel of Lancashire says the Government's
0:10:25 > 0:10:30police cuts have that much more difficult to keep people safe. Is he
0:10:30 > 0:10:39wrong?Can I say to the right honourable gentleman, he mentions
0:10:39 > 0:10:44the constabulary because what I was hoser Jerry I asked H MIC to look at
0:10:44 > 0:10:49the recording of these crimes. To make sure that police forces were
0:10:49 > 0:10:53doing it properly. And indeed some changes were made as a result of
0:10:53 > 0:11:01that. We now see the better recording of crime. We also see £450
0:11:01 > 0:11:05million extra being made available to the police. But what have we also
0:11:05 > 0:11:09seen over the last two years? The creation of the national crime
0:11:09 > 0:11:13agency, our police forces taking more notice of helping the support
0:11:13 > 0:11:17vulnerable victims, doing more on modern slavery, doing more on
0:11:17 > 0:11:20domestic violence. Taking issues seriously that they weren't taking
0:11:20 > 0:11:27seriously before.Mr Speaker, if you ask the instructor to look at
0:11:27 > 0:11:30unrecorded crime and they tell you what is going on in the least you
0:11:30 > 0:11:32can do is act on what they tell you.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Jeremy Corbyn.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35One study but two very different verdicts.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37The Taylor review examined modern working practises,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40especially the employment rights of people in what's known as the gig
0:11:40 > 0:11:43economy, where workers are paid for each job they do.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46The Business Minister set out the government's
0:11:46 > 0:11:54response to its findings.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56We will support employers to give individuals the correct employment
0:11:56 > 0:12:04rights. But we will prevent undercutting who try to game the
0:12:04 > 0:12:09system by clearly defining who is employed and who is not. We will
0:12:09 > 0:12:12extend the rights to receive a pay set to all workers including stating
0:12:12 > 0:12:22the hours that they work, to set a written terms, and extending us to
0:12:22 > 0:12:27all workers. We are taking forward this or Speaker 52 of the figure
0:12:27 > 0:12:32three recommendations in the Taylor review. For workers on zero our
0:12:32 > 0:12:37contrast, we are creating a right to request a simple contract. For the
0:12:37 > 0:12:43first time, Mr Speaker, for the first time, the state will take
0:12:43 > 0:12:47responsibility for enforcing a wider set of employment rights including
0:12:47 > 0:12:55sick pay and holiday pay for the most vulnerable of workers.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56But Labour's shadow business secretary was scathing
0:12:56 > 0:12:57about the government's plans.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Many of these workers faced a precarious and
0:12:59 > 0:13:01unstable working life.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04They needed to do something bold today but it appears
0:13:04 > 0:13:07that they are simply papering over these weak realities with rhetoric.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Launching four consultations, merely considering proposals,
0:13:09 > 0:13:15and tweaking the law here and there is not good enough.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17We need clarity on workers being paid when they are logged
0:13:17 > 0:13:19into apps waiting to receive jobs.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21As well as clear and urgent direction on the legal
0:13:21 > 0:13:28status of gig workers.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Why was there not even one mention, not one mention of trade unions?
0:13:32 > 0:13:35And on the genuinely self-employed, we see the creation of a website
0:13:35 > 0:13:37allowing the self-employed to talk to each other.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Well, bravo!
0:13:40 > 0:13:48Why was there no system of support, no recognition
0:13:48 > 0:13:49of the precariousness of the situation?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Mr Speaker, this is simply window dressing.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54As a result of the actions set out in our response to this review,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56as a result of those actions, millions of workers
0:13:57 > 0:13:57will get greater rights.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00The access to more protection.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05Indeed, I would argue that we can rightly claim to be leading
0:14:05 > 0:14:08the world in improving the quality of work for our constituents.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10One of the issues that was not contained within the scope
0:14:10 > 0:14:12of the Taylor review was that was that of
0:14:12 > 0:14:14unpaid work trials.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16That is regrettable.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20However, one member from Glasgow has brought forth a bill on the 16th
0:14:20 > 0:14:22of March to end exploitative, unpaid work trials.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Will the Government the supporting that?
0:14:24 > 0:14:29I think the honourable gentleman for his question.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34I am very happy to meet with his colleague and discuss his Bill.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39A Labour MP turns to the issue of bogus self-employment.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42The DWP and various select committees have produced a bill
0:14:42 > 0:14:44that the Government can take through Parliament with cross party
0:14:44 > 0:14:45support to sort this out.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47The country are crying out for change.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Can I urge the Government to be a little bit more ambitious?
0:14:50 > 0:14:55I can reassure the honourable lady that we are hugely ambitious.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58These proposals will help millions of workers,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02but she will understand, because I think Matthew Taylor said
0:15:02 > 0:15:05this in relation to when he gave evidence to the committee,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07that this is hugely complicated.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10That this is complex, and we do need to consult further.
0:15:10 > 0:15:16We are not consulting about whether we should do this.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19We are consulting about how we do it, so I thank her
0:15:19 > 0:15:21for her contribution and I reassure her that
0:15:21 > 0:15:22our ambition is strong.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23The Business Minister, Andrew Griffiths.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26The Northern Ireland Secretary has struck an optimistic note
0:15:26 > 0:15:27about the restoration of power-sharing at
0:15:27 > 0:15:33the Stormont Assembly, saying it could happen imminently.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38Northern Ireland has been without a functioning administration
0:15:38 > 0:15:40for over a year after the DUP/Sinn Fein-led
0:15:40 > 0:15:42coalition collapsed in a row over a controversial
0:15:42 > 0:15:48green energy scheme.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49Over the past weeks, the political parties,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52particularly the DUP and Sinn Fein, have engaged in discussions
0:15:52 > 0:15:54on the key issues, which remain to be resolved.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56They have done so with continuous support of the UK Government
0:15:56 > 0:15:58accordance with the three-stranded approach,
0:15:58 > 0:15:59the Irish government.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Those discussions were built on the progress that was made
0:16:01 > 0:16:03in previous talks to introduce further gaps between
0:16:03 > 0:16:05them and accommodation between the parties,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Mr Speaker, is yet to be reached, but there is no doubt
0:16:08 > 0:16:11as to the parties' collective commitment to restore
0:16:11 > 0:16:12the devolution.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15I firmly believe that agreement in the coming days,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17while not certain, is achievable, and and this remains my focus.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Every party in Northern Ireland says they want a deal but that
0:16:20 > 0:16:27significant gaps remain.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Could she outline to the House what those gaps actually
0:16:29 > 0:16:32are and what she is doing to try to resolve them
0:16:32 > 0:16:34and bring people together?
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Mr Speaker, can I gently say to the honourable gentleman,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39who I know is greatly distinguished in this area and knows
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Northern Ireland politics very well, that we are we are at a very
0:16:42 > 0:16:45sensitive stage of the discussions, that I have been committed to no
0:16:45 > 0:16:50running commentary on the talks while they are ongoing,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52and there have been very intense, very detailed discussions?
0:16:52 > 0:16:55I believe we can reach an outcome but I am not going to do
0:16:56 > 0:16:57anything that might jeopardise that.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Can she at least confirm that one of the big sticking points
0:17:00 > 0:17:01in the talks right now is rights?
0:17:01 > 0:17:03Not just language rights, but marriage equality rights,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06and can she tell us whether she would consider taking
0:17:06 > 0:17:08that issue off the table by legislating for equal marriage
0:17:08 > 0:17:15rights in Northern Ireland as they enjoy in Staffordshire?
0:17:15 > 0:17:18The Minister said equal marriage was a devolved issue. The question moved
0:17:18 > 0:17:20the budget will
0:17:20 > 0:17:23a devolved issue. The question moved the budget will.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Would she give a clear commitment to the people of Northern Ireland
0:17:27 > 0:17:30and this House that the budget for Northern Ireland will be set
0:17:30 > 0:17:33as soon as possible, given that the head of the civil
0:17:33 > 0:17:35service said we cannot go much beyond the beginning of February
0:17:35 > 0:17:38with that clarity about how much departments and public
0:17:38 > 0:17:40bodies are going to have to spend next year.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42The lack of a budget is affecting services, including
0:17:42 > 0:17:43health and social care.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44The current position is intolerable.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48We need a budget and we need it now.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Karen Bradley assured him she had had discussions about that issue.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54If you were watching this programme on Tuesday,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57you'll have seen MPs grilling senior executives from the failed
0:17:57 > 0:17:58construction company, Carillion.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03Well, on Wednesday it was the turn of the Government.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06The Liaison Committee, which is made up of the chairs of all the other
0:18:06 > 0:18:08committees, had summoned the Cabinet Office Minister.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10But he was being very cautious in his answers.
0:18:10 > 0:18:20This exchange was typical.
0:18:21 > 0:18:29When we had the directors of Carillion, past and almost
0:18:29 > 0:18:33When we had the directors of Carillion, past and almost present,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35in front of our Select Committees yesterday, one of the things
0:18:35 > 0:18:38we questioned them about was the changes in the rules
0:18:38 > 0:18:39about the claw-back of bonuses.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Many of the people we had in front of us
0:18:41 > 0:18:43yesterday had a big bonuses in the period
0:18:43 > 0:18:46leading up to the collapse of the business, the company
0:18:46 > 0:18:47changed its own rules, which make it harder
0:18:48 > 0:18:49to claw back those bonuses.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52One of the lessons from the global financial crisis was to have tougher
0:18:52 > 0:18:55rules about being able to claw-back bonuses
0:18:55 > 0:18:57go wrong at business.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Do you think we need to look again at the claw-back
0:19:00 > 0:19:02arrangements for bonuses so that we can get some
0:19:02 > 0:19:07of that money back?
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Again, sitting here today, I am open-minded on not
0:19:09 > 0:19:13but there have been serious allegations of misconduct
0:19:13 > 0:19:18by the board and former board members of Carillion.
0:19:18 > 0:19:24Those are being independently investigated by the official
0:19:24 > 0:19:27receiver, and it would be wrong for a Minister to make any comment
0:19:27 > 0:19:29that could be prejudicial of the official receiver's
0:19:29 > 0:19:33findings on that.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35David Lidington.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Now, at the weekend the Conservative MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40went to the University of the West of England to give a speech.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42But then, this happened.
0:19:42 > 0:19:49Masked protesters disrupted the event and there was some pushing.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Police launched an investigation into the scenes at the campus in
0:19:52 > 0:19:53Bristol, but no arrests were made.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55The Human Rights Committee is investigating freedom
0:19:55 > 0:19:56of speech in universities.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Jacob Rees-Mogg told them that he wasn't alarmed by the fact
0:19:58 > 0:20:03people were protesting.
0:20:03 > 0:20:10The only thing I think was odd was that they turned up wearing
0:20:10 > 0:20:13masks, and I think wearing masks is the one bit that ought
0:20:13 > 0:20:16not to have happened.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I think people coming along and charging at you,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23people heckling you is part of political life and to be
0:20:23 > 0:20:25perfectly honest, as a politician, a bit of heckling can
0:20:25 > 0:20:26make your speech.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28It can actually be very good for the Speaker,
0:20:28 > 0:20:29rather than damaging.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33But masks is just a little bit sinister.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Suppose that if somebody was 67 with brown hair and had
0:20:36 > 0:20:39been an MP for 35 years, do you think she would actually be
0:20:39 > 0:20:43prepared to speak at meetings if somebody was going to come
0:20:43 > 0:20:49bursting in and then she had to go back on a train on her own?
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I don't think anybody would ever suggest that
0:20:51 > 0:20:54you weren't quite brave, but I think there's a really serious
0:20:54 > 0:20:57point and I'm actually much more concerned about the online
0:20:57 > 0:21:03abuse that particularly female MPs receive.
0:21:03 > 0:21:10Will people want to go and speak if there are going to be protests?
0:21:10 > 0:21:19I mean, I'm going to carry on regardless, but I can see that
0:21:19 > 0:21:22some people would think, "Is it worth the hassle?"
0:21:22 > 0:21:24and politicians don't have to go and speak at universities.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27It may be a very good thing that they do, I happen
0:21:27 > 0:21:28to think that it is.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31But we could just go home on Thursday nights and Friday nights
0:21:31 > 0:21:33and that can sometimes be quite tempting.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34Earlier the Universities Minister told the committee
0:21:34 > 0:21:37there was a "creeping culture" around censorship.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41What is hard to measure here is the larger number of events
0:21:41 > 0:21:44that do not happen at all, either because organisers
0:21:44 > 0:21:49were worried about obstruction or because of the overzealous
0:21:49 > 0:21:54enforcement of rules made them seem more trouble than it is worth.
0:21:54 > 0:22:02In my view, these restrictions and disruptions, are unacceptable.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04On some US campuses, we've seen a cultural censorship
0:22:04 > 0:22:07that is restriction of free speech and I do not want
0:22:07 > 0:22:09that to happen here.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11The Universities Minister.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Over in the Lords, it was the Government's plans
0:22:14 > 0:22:17for handling the the winter crisis in the NHS which came under attack.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Labour wanted to know how it could be that in some
0:22:20 > 0:22:24hospitals, every bed was full.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Can I ask the noble lord, the Minister if that was part of the
0:22:28 > 0:22:32winter plan, or will the Minister accept that the winter plans have
0:22:32 > 0:22:37now been compromised in the light of pressure on beds, lack of staff, and
0:22:37 > 0:22:41the fact that at least 23 trusts are now on black alert, which means they
0:22:41 > 0:22:48are under very severe pressure?I do agree with the noble lady that bed
0:22:48 > 0:22:53occupancy is higher than we want to be and in some particular hospitals
0:22:53 > 0:22:57it is far too high. The question about what we do about that did
0:22:57 > 0:23:01necessitate the difficult decision for which the premise or apologised
0:23:01 > 0:23:07which is cancelling elective surgery. We think a particular with
0:23:07 > 0:23:11flu, at the situation has hopefully stabilised and that will start to
0:23:11 > 0:23:16relieve the pressure. I do understand the hard work that staff
0:23:16 > 0:23:18are having to put in under tremendous pressure and we all
0:23:18 > 0:23:25appreciate that.Since its inception in 1948, the NHS spending has arisen
0:23:25 > 0:23:33by an average of 4% each year in real terms -- has risen. Does this
0:23:33 > 0:23:37government took over in 2010, that 4% increase has fallen to an average
0:23:37 > 0:23:46of between one and one and a half percent will stop in real terms,
0:23:46 > 0:23:52will the Government and cannot government accept that some of this
0:23:52 > 0:23:58meanness is one of the causes for the crisis the NHS find itself in?I
0:23:58 > 0:24:01totally reject the accusation of meanness. If you look at the
0:24:01 > 0:24:06spending on a NHS, not only hasn't gone up in real terms every year
0:24:06 > 0:24:10while a massive retrenchment has had to take place in order to deal with
0:24:10 > 0:24:13£150 billion of barring bequeathed by the previous government, NHS
0:24:13 > 0:24:16spending now accounts for the highest standard of public spending
0:24:16 > 0:24:20that has ever been the case. We have found the money, in difficult
0:24:20 > 0:24:23circumstances. We all agree that more was needed and more was found
0:24:23 > 0:24:25in the budget and I'm sure more will be found in the future.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Lord O'Shaughnessy.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29Nobody quite fits the description of "veteran"
0:24:29 > 0:24:30like Labour's Dennis Skinner.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33And with veteranship comes privilege.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Few backbenchers would be permitted to go on for nearly one and a half
0:24:36 > 0:24:44minutes at Prime Minister's Questions.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46But before he got underway, the Speaker had a special
0:24:46 > 0:24:47message for him.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50In offering him best wishes for his birthday on Sunday,
0:24:50 > 0:24:51I call Mr Dennis Skinner.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I didn't know about that.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56I don't celebrate things like that.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59I don't but you should celebrate age.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Anyway.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04And he was off.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06He said the last Labour government delivered a golden era
0:25:06 > 0:25:07for the health service.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12How?
0:25:12 > 0:25:22The Chancellor of the Exchequer put 1% on the National
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Insurance and that went directly to the Health Service and it is called
0:25:25 > 0:25:27long-term stability.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Under this government, they don't know whether they
0:25:29 > 0:25:32are coming or going.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37It is high time this government did the same as
0:25:37 > 0:25:38we did between 1997 and 2010.
0:25:38 > 0:25:45Get weaving.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48And the words "get weaving" bring us to the end of the programme.
0:25:48 > 0:25:58So for now from me, Mandy Baker, goodbye.