0:00:20 > 0:00:23Hello there, and welcome to Wednesday in Parliament,
0:00:23 > 0:00:25where Theresa May makes clear she will reject EU proposals
0:00:25 > 0:00:30on Northern Ireland's border.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33And denies a rift in her government.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36The Foreign Secretary and I, are absolutely committed to ensuring
0:00:36 > 0:00:38that we deliver on no hard border between Northern
0:00:38 > 0:00:46Ireland and Ireland.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Jeremy Corbyn said the Prime Minister is incapable of delivering
0:00:48 > 0:00:49a coherent Brexit plan.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51When is she going to put the country's interests
0:00:51 > 0:00:53before the outsized egos of her own Cabinet?
0:00:53 > 0:00:58Hear, hear!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Also on this programme: The international development
0:01:00 > 0:01:03secretary says she is considering stopping aid to a number
0:01:03 > 0:01:05of charities in the wake of misconduct claims.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10And in the Lords, there's a dire warning about the future of retail.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Retail trading may decline by 22% in the next year.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16And really, it is time for the Government to move
0:01:16 > 0:01:24very urgently indeed.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29But first, Theresa May has told MPs the EU's draft Brexit withdrawal
0:01:29 > 0:01:30agreement would threaten the constitutional integrity
0:01:30 > 0:01:31of the United Kingdom.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33The European commission has published a draft
0:01:33 > 0:01:40version of the treaty, based on negotiations
0:01:41 > 0:01:42held last year.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47On the contentious issue of the Irish border,
0:01:47 > 0:01:53it proposes in effect keeping Northern Ireland in a customs union.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55If solutions cannot be found for the post Brexit border.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57But a prime Ministers questions, Theresa May said no UK
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Prime Minister could ever agree to it.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02The draft, legal text the commission had published would, if implemented,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04undermined the UK Common Market and threaten constitutional
0:02:04 > 0:02:06integrity of the UK by creating a customs and regulatory
0:02:06 > 0:02:07border down the Irish Sea.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And no UK Prime Minister could ever agree to it.
0:02:10 > 0:02:11Hear, hear!
0:02:11 > 0:02:13Jeremy Corbyn turned his attention to the Cabinet meeting at checkers,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15at the end of last week.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Which was organized the thrash out the Government's Brexit ambitions.
0:02:20 > 0:02:30Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister emerged from her checkers away
0:02:33 > 0:02:35day to promise a Brexit of 'ambitious managed divergence'.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36LAUGHTER.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Could she tell the country what on earth ambitious managed
0:02:40 > 0:02:41divergence will mean in practice?
0:02:41 > 0:02:42Hear, hear!
0:02:42 > 0:02:44He asks me about the Government's position on the European Union.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46Well, it's very simple.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50We want to deliver on the pros of his people that means
0:02:50 > 0:02:52we will bring back control of our laws, our
0:02:52 > 0:02:56borders and our money.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Now, of course, that is in direct contrast with the Labour Party's
0:03:00 > 0:03:04position who want to be in a customs union and a have free movement
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and pay whatever it takes to pay the EU.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08That would mean giving away control of our laws,
0:03:08 > 0:03:09our borders and our money.
0:03:09 > 0:03:10Hear, hear!
0:03:10 > 0:03:13And that would be a betrayal of the British people.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Jeremy Corbyn didn't turn to the Northern Ireland border,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18and a leaked letter from the Foreign Secretary Boris
0:03:18 > 0:03:19Johnson to Theresa May.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22In it he said the Government should focus on preventing the order
0:03:22 > 0:03:25from becoming significantly harder.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And that comment came hot on the heels of a BBC interview,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30where he compared the issue to crossing between London
0:03:30 > 0:03:32boroughs and the use of the congestion charge.
0:03:32 > 0:03:39Three months ago, the Foreign Secretary told the House with regard
0:03:39 > 0:03:42to Northern Ireland, and I quote, "There can be no hard border.
0:03:42 > 0:03:43That would be unthinkable."
0:03:43 > 0:03:45That's what he said.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Yet, in a leaked letter to be prime Minister,
0:03:48 > 0:03:56he wrote, "Even if a hard border is reintroduced,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58we would expect to see 95% plus of goods pass."
0:03:58 > 0:04:05He's shouting at the moment.
0:04:05 > 0:04:11He's obviously mixing up the border with the Camden-Islington border.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12Hey!
0:04:12 > 0:04:13LAUGHTER.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14So, Mr Speaker.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Hey!
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Mr Speaker, can the Prime Minister confirm that she will not renege
0:04:19 > 0:04:29on commitments made in phase one to keep an open border in Ireland?
0:04:29 > 0:04:31The foreign secretary and I are absolutely committed
0:04:31 > 0:04:33to ensuring that we deliver on no hard border between Northern
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Ireland and Ireland.
0:04:35 > 0:04:42Hear, hear!
0:04:42 > 0:04:44That's the position of the UK government, it's the position
0:04:44 > 0:04:47of the parties in Northern Ireland, it's the position of the Irish
0:04:47 > 0:04:50government and it was what we agreed in the December agreement
0:04:50 > 0:04:51of the joint report.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53We are all committed to ensuring there is...
0:04:53 > 0:05:00No hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03The Government is so divided the Prime Minister is incapable
0:05:03 > 0:05:05of delivering a coherent and decisive plan for Brexit.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10Hear, hear!
0:05:10 > 0:05:13So when is she going to put the countries' interests
0:05:13 > 0:05:16before the outsized egos of her own Cabinet?
0:05:16 > 0:05:20But Theresa May insisted her government would not only deliver
0:05:20 > 0:05:30on Brexit, but on housing, schools and the environment.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34But the SNPs Westminster leader returned to te
0:05:34 > 0:05:35Northern Ireland border issue.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37The Foreign Secretary's leaked letter on the Irish border shows
0:05:37 > 0:05:40he cannot get to grips with one of the most fundamental
0:05:40 > 0:05:41issues of Brexit.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42The Foreign Secretary compared to crossing
0:05:42 > 0:05:45the Irish border to going between Camden and Westminster.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Frankly, you cannot make this stuff up.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49This is a UK government that has prepared to put at jeopardy
0:05:49 > 0:05:53the Good Friday Agreement.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55That is right.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00That's right!
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Does the Prime Minister agree with a bumbling Foreign Secretary
0:06:02 > 0:06:05who is making the United Kingdom a laughing stock was back this
0:06:05 > 0:06:09government is absolutely committed to the Belfast agreement?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Indeed we made sure that the commitment was included
0:06:11 > 0:06:14in the joint report that we agreed with the European Union
0:06:14 > 0:06:16last December.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19So, the Belfast agreement stand and we are committed to the Belfast
0:06:19 > 0:06:27agreement and the institutions under the Belfast agreement.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Returning from a jog in the snow, Boris Johnson said
0:06:30 > 0:06:34what is going on at the moment is that the issue of
0:06:34 > 0:06:36the Northern Irish border, being used politically
0:06:36 > 0:06:39to try to keep the UK in the dust and union,
0:06:39 > 0:06:40effectively the single market.
0:06:40 > 0:06:41So they cannot really leave the EU.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45But MPs wanted him to explain his views and what he had said in that
0:06:45 > 0:06:46leaked letter to them directly.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49So, straight after PMQs, the shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornbury
0:06:49 > 0:06:51asked what's known as an urgent question about Northern Ireland's
0:06:51 > 0:06:52border, addressed to Boris Johnson.
0:06:52 > 0:06:58But as you might be able to see on the very left of the picture,
0:06:58 > 0:06:59quite a reaction.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01the Foreign Secretary stood up to leave, prompting
0:07:01 > 0:07:02quite a reaction.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05And when Boris Johnson was gone and Cabinet Office Minister David
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Livingstone stood up to respond for the Government, there was more
0:07:07 > 0:07:09there was more shouting from the labor side.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Where is he, where is he?
0:07:11 > 0:07:12Where is he?
0:07:12 > 0:07:19Mr Speaker, I have been asked to reply.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21This government has been consistent in its commitments
0:07:21 > 0:07:22to Northern Ireland as the United Kingdom
0:07:22 > 0:07:24leaves the European Union.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27First, we will never accept any solutions that threaten the economic
0:07:27 > 0:07:31or constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36Second, we will not accept a hard border between Northern Ireland
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and Ireland, which would reverse the considerable progress made
0:07:39 > 0:07:45through the political process over recent decades.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48That position has been consistent from the Prime Minister's
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Article 50 letter, through to our position paper
0:07:50 > 0:07:52published last summer.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54And the Prime Minister's Florence speech last autumn.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58While I am always pleased to hear from the Minister of State, I have
0:07:58 > 0:08:00to say it is an absolute disgrace...
0:08:00 > 0:08:06Hear, hear!
0:08:06 > 0:08:11..And a huge discourtesy to this House that the Foreign Secretary
0:08:11 > 0:08:12is not here himself...
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Hear, hear!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16..to answer the questions of his memo.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Especially, Mr Speaker, given that we saw him
0:08:20 > 0:08:23in London a few hours ago, jogging in the snow and stopping
0:08:23 > 0:08:25to answer questions from the media.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27If he can answer their questions, he really should be
0:08:27 > 0:08:28prepared to answer hours.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29Hear, hear!
0:08:29 > 0:08:31What is he afraid of?
0:08:31 > 0:08:33Perhaps it's this: These questions go to the very
0:08:33 > 0:08:35heart of his credibility and the credibility of previous
0:08:35 > 0:08:37statements that he's made in this House.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39David Livingstone defended the fact that it was he, not Boris Johnson,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44at the despatch box.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Since I both have Cabinet responsability for constitutional
0:08:47 > 0:08:48affairs, including for the implementation of
0:08:48 > 0:08:58devolution throughout
0:08:58 > 0:09:04the United Kingdom, and since I also Chair the Cabinet committee
0:09:04 > 0:09:06on domestic implementation of our Brexit arrangement,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09it seems to me to be perfectly reasonable that I should be
0:09:09 > 0:09:10responding to her urgent questions.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11LAUGHTER.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14The leader of the Democratic union spoke on the central issue.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17It is ironic, is it not, that some of those people
0:09:17 > 0:09:18who campaigned hardest about creating a hard border
0:09:18 > 0:09:21between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic has today
0:09:21 > 0:09:23welcomed proposals from the EU which would actually create a hard
0:09:23 > 0:09:26border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29The fact of the matter is that there is a border
0:09:29 > 0:09:30between North and South.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34A currency border, there are different currencies,
0:09:34 > 0:09:35different fiscal regimes, different tax regimes,
0:09:35 > 0:09:36different economic policies.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39But it is managed in a way that is sensible and pragmatic.
0:09:39 > 0:09:46The same can be done in relation to the future relationship.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49It has already been spelt out in the government's paper last August,
0:09:49 > 0:09:54to use the Belfast agreement, or more despicably to use the peace
0:09:54 > 0:09:56process as an excuse to either thwart Brexit or to
0:09:56 > 0:09:58shape it in the way
0:09:58 > 0:10:00some people want.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01It's quite frankly outrageous and disgraceful.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Hear, hear!
0:10:03 > 0:10:08Let us back the arrangements that are in place, but let us go
0:10:08 > 0:10:10forward in a pragmatic, sensible way and not create
0:10:10 > 0:10:15troubles that are not there.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18We've got to wake up now as a country and realize
0:10:18 > 0:10:20we are not going to rip our nation further apart.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23We don't only have to have a pragmatic approach to Brexit,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25but an honest approach to Brexit.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Hear, hear!
0:10:27 > 0:10:35And the only solution to a hard border is membership
0:10:35 > 0:10:37of the customs union, the single market, Mr Speaker
0:10:37 > 0:10:38they will get there in the end.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40The Foreign Secretary did say this morning
0:10:40 > 0:10:43after his dog that he was going to publish the memo.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44When?
0:10:44 > 0:10:48We don't publish internal ministerial correspondence.Shouts
0:10:48 > 0:10:55of, "He said it" and "Bring him back their coastal. Sources told the BBC
0:10:55 > 0:10:58that Downing Street had blocked the release of the full text of the
0:10:58 > 0:11:01letter from Boris Johnson. You're watching Wednesday in Parliament
0:11:01 > 0:11:11with me, Alicia McCarthy. Sandwiched between the rough and tumble of
0:11:11 > 0:11:15normal political debate, there was a few hours of near consensus in the
0:11:15 > 0:11:18comments as MPs gave their support to the complaints and grievances
0:11:18 > 0:11:24procedures governing Parliament. A working group has spent 100 hours
0:11:24 > 0:11:27drawing up a new behavioral code that covers bullying and harassment
0:11:27 > 0:11:31against anyone who works in the Palace of Westminster. The leader of
0:11:31 > 0:11:34the Commons explained what would happen with regard to complaint
0:11:34 > 0:11:40against MPs.In the most serious of cases, the Commissioner will refer
0:11:40 > 0:11:44her findings to the committee on standards. The committee can
0:11:44 > 0:11:47recommend to the House that an individual is suspended. And the
0:11:47 > 0:11:50House will vote on the recommendation. And it's through
0:11:50 > 0:11:55this router that the existing procedures under the recall of MPs
0:11:55 > 0:11:59act of 2015 could be invoked. The trigger for recall remains the same
0:11:59 > 0:12:04as it is now, and there is no plan for changes to primary legislation.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Several MPs said a change of culture was needed.I hate that culture in
0:12:08 > 0:12:13this House. I have never, ever been fond of that in the House of Commons
0:12:13 > 0:12:17will stop some of my friends think it is a fantastic place to live in
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Emre Can into their business. I always find it a little bit
0:12:19 > 0:12:22uncomfortable. Something, maybe the Scottish Nationalist in me that
0:12:22 > 0:12:27perhaps greats just a little bit. But this House is a peculiar,
0:12:27 > 0:12:32historic culture that practically oozes patriarchy and an abuse of
0:12:32 > 0:12:37power. I had a female friend in the House just a few months ago, was
0:12:37 > 0:12:44very conscious of these issues. And she told me that departures is this
0:12:44 > 0:12:47place practically sing to her rescue because of the way that the images
0:12:47 > 0:12:51are all set up and the defining features of this House are embedded
0:12:51 > 0:12:56in this historic patriarchy that we have in this place.89% of women MPs
0:12:56 > 0:13:02and 58% of men MPs say that sexism still exists in Parliament. And that
0:13:02 > 0:13:05golf is significant. Almost all women know that there is still those
0:13:05 > 0:13:09instances of sexism. But only just over half of men recognize that's
0:13:09 > 0:13:12the case, and that golf is part of the problem that we have, and it is
0:13:12 > 0:13:17part of the complacency that still exists.The thing that strange isn't
0:13:17 > 0:13:22that the behaviors are no longer is it acceptable, actually they never
0:13:22 > 0:13:25were acceptable. The difference is now people cannot get away with
0:13:25 > 0:13:29them, and that is right, and that is an improvement. And I think what
0:13:29 > 0:13:33we're really trying to deliver with the training and the of culture is
0:13:33 > 0:13:39that everybody accepts that not only are those sorts of behavior is not
0:13:39 > 0:13:44acceptable, no one is going to let them get away with it.Culture eats
0:13:44 > 0:13:47strategy for breakfast. It is about the culture. It is about the
0:13:47 > 0:13:51leadership. You can have as many reports or processes or training as
0:13:51 > 0:13:54people have said as you want. If that is not followed through, if
0:13:54 > 0:14:00that is not lived and breathed by deeds, not words, I'm afraid we
0:14:00 > 0:14:06might as well all give up and go home.
0:14:06 > 0:14:15Some kind of sanctions may have something similar.I am so much more
0:14:15 > 0:14:19in favour of our persuasion and coercion. And in the and, can I just
0:14:19 > 0:14:23tell the honourable lady, you can be dead horse to water but you cannot
0:14:23 > 0:14:30make them drink. And you could force MPs to attend a training session,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34but what kind of attitude with a habit towards the training? If they
0:14:34 > 0:14:39were, they did not feel it. They want to do.We are more powerful
0:14:39 > 0:14:44than more -- most people are much more frightening, if you get a
0:14:44 > 0:14:53direct, I am, that's quite right. I like to think that I can recognise
0:14:53 > 0:14:58that, try to employ it with appropriateness, but the truth is
0:14:58 > 0:15:05that I still worried that there'll be a power imbalance.It's only when
0:15:05 > 0:15:09processes are in place, and used will we know they're robust and
0:15:09 > 0:15:13command -- commanded support of those who seek to use them. The
0:15:13 > 0:15:18opposition support them own it -- motion as tabled an amended and look
0:15:18 > 0:15:22forward to be updated, we thank the staff are taking on this task, so we
0:15:22 > 0:15:27have a truly modern Parliament. Where everyone knows the boundaries
0:15:27 > 0:15:34of acceptable behaviour in a safe secure workplace. The International
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Development Secretary is considering stopping the UK aid for a number of
0:15:37 > 0:15:40charities after they failed to provide assurances over safeguarding
0:15:40 > 0:15:46to her department. It follows the scandals surrounding sexual
0:15:46 > 0:15:51misconduct by eight agency workers. On the 20th of that -- February I
0:15:51 > 0:15:54asked all UK charities receiving UK aid to give me assurances on
0:15:54 > 0:15:58safeguarding and reporting of historic cases, by Monday last. I
0:15:58 > 0:16:05have received 161 responses. My officials are analysing those with
0:16:05 > 0:16:08independent oversight and we have shared returns with Charity
0:16:08 > 0:16:12commission. A number of organisations unbelievably Mr
0:16:12 > 0:16:17Speaker, have not replied. We are following up, but without
0:16:17 > 0:16:19justification they will have lost our confidence and will consider
0:16:19 > 0:16:23whether it was right to continue their funding. I will share my key
0:16:23 > 0:16:27findings trends and themes and in response to the safeguarding summit
0:16:27 > 0:16:30held by and with the Charity commission on March five and I'll
0:16:30 > 0:16:35keep the House informed.Two was asked about the situation for
0:16:35 > 0:16:39civilians trapped in fighting was in serious.The you estimate this is my
0:16:39 > 0:16:44one Syrians are displaced and with fresh fighting despite the
0:16:44 > 0:16:47cease-fire, this number will continue to rise. What is her
0:16:47 > 0:16:51department doing specifically to support these families especially in
0:16:51 > 0:16:57this region and whose that challenges our increasing?We had a
0:16:57 > 0:17:02huge number of programmes that are supporting those people in
0:17:02 > 0:17:08particular, not just as I said, for short-term needs, shelter, food and
0:17:08 > 0:17:13so forth, but also education and jobs and livelihoods. But I would
0:17:13 > 0:17:19also say that these individuals have some unique needs, but have not been
0:17:19 > 0:17:23addressed I think to date with as much focus by the international
0:17:23 > 0:17:25community and setting up a panel to actually look at those needs and
0:17:25 > 0:17:29what more we can do to help in similar situations, I think will be
0:17:29 > 0:17:35a big step forward. The authorities in me and Mark, formerly known as
0:17:35 > 0:17:41Burma have blocked MPs and for making a trip to the country. The
0:17:41 > 0:17:43chairman of the international development committee said the move
0:17:43 > 0:17:48was direct roulette -- Italian -- retaliation for the report they
0:17:48 > 0:17:52publish on the Rohingya crisis. I get urgent questions, Stephen X but
0:17:52 > 0:17:57what happened to.Yesterday our passports were returned to us
0:17:57 > 0:18:00without visas, and clearly the failure of the Burmese government to
0:18:00 > 0:18:06grant these visas, simply prevents us from doing our job as a
0:18:06 > 0:18:11committee, which is to oversee how oversee development assistance is
0:18:11 > 0:18:16spent in countries. I have no doubt, that a major part of the reason this
0:18:16 > 0:18:19has happened, is direct retaliation for the report that we published
0:18:19 > 0:18:25last month on the Rohingya crisis. I believe there is a direct connection
0:18:25 > 0:18:28between our report and these actions. I understand Mr Speaker,
0:18:28 > 0:18:35that it was Aung San Suu Kyi herself, who brought -- a block to
0:18:35 > 0:18:41the approval of the visas.They were due to visit both Myanmar and
0:18:41 > 0:18:48Bangladesh which is now home to many refugees.He has described what has
0:18:48 > 0:18:54been happening to the Rohingya dictate textbook case of ethnic
0:18:54 > 0:19:02cleansing. Is a withholding visas a textbook case of an authoritarian
0:19:02 > 0:19:06regime with something to hide trying to shield itself from legitimate
0:19:06 > 0:19:10international scrutiny? And if Aung San Suu Kyi is indeed responsible
0:19:10 > 0:19:21for that, then it's nothing short of disgraceful.. I like him are at
0:19:21 > 0:19:26disappointed by this, this displeasure has been communicated to
0:19:26 > 0:19:27the Burmese authorities, the officials have indicated three
0:19:27 > 0:19:32reasons for that refusal. First, there is an extended public holiday
0:19:32 > 0:19:39there. Second, the access to Rakhine state remains restricted for
0:19:39 > 0:19:43security reasons, and finally, I think this was something that was
0:19:43 > 0:19:48brought up in the press release yesterday evening, they were unhappy
0:19:48 > 0:19:53that individual members had signed a letter calling for the senior
0:19:53 > 0:19:56general of the Burmese army to be held accountable for the military
0:19:56 > 0:20:04behaviour.It those atrocities are being carried out, then it's for all
0:20:04 > 0:20:08democracies to make the voices heard, and on syzygy who's been
0:20:08 > 0:20:11championing zinc dust trapping democracy there, I hope she is
0:20:11 > 0:20:15listening to the message today, because she should also be speaking
0:20:15 > 0:20:21out.The Minister is right, we must keep supporting and helping the
0:20:21 > 0:20:24vulnerable people in Myanmar particularly Rohingya, but can I
0:20:24 > 0:20:28press the issue of accountability and those responsible for the
0:20:28 > 0:20:31military, is it possible for him to have discussions with others in the
0:20:31 > 0:20:39Security Council that a possibility for a resolution to the criminal
0:20:39 > 0:20:44court?Mark said that the feeling was any move would be vetoed by
0:20:44 > 0:20:47China and Russia. He said the Government wanted to keep the lines
0:20:47 > 0:20:50of communication open with more moderate elements within the Burmese
0:20:50 > 0:20:54military. And was pursuing the use of targeted sanctions through the
0:20:54 > 0:21:00EU. Now there was a dire warning in the north that trading in Britain
0:21:00 > 0:21:07retail sector was -- nearly declining. It comes after the UK's
0:21:07 > 0:21:11biggest toy retailer, Toys "R" Us went into administration. More than
0:21:11 > 0:21:153000 jobs are now at risk. It's understood that it made losses in
0:21:15 > 0:21:21seven out of the last eight years. The electrical retailer collapsed as
0:21:21 > 0:21:27well which could see two and a half thousand jobs go. One peered Dom --
0:21:27 > 0:21:36blamed on my John dice Giants.39% is controlled by Amazon of the UK,
0:21:36 > 0:21:44and 57% if you look at the stakes. Will Her Majesty level the playing
0:21:44 > 0:21:49field and look at what other countries are looking at the terms
0:21:49 > 0:21:56of digital taxation or special sales task -- tax like the USA, or a
0:21:56 > 0:22:02higher rate of VAT which is possible under our legislation. And at the
0:22:02 > 0:22:08very least, would they edit the up now, bearing in mind that 39% of
0:22:08 > 0:22:11today's billion Palomar kick, and our country, set up a monopoly
0:22:11 > 0:22:18commission inquiry for if they do not, that our retail trade as we
0:22:18 > 0:22:22know it would disappear.The Business Minister said the
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Competition and Markets Authority have powers to look into such claims
0:22:24 > 0:22:29and the Government was acting.We believe that all those
0:22:29 > 0:22:33multinationals in that world, ought to be hang the taxes due, and we
0:22:33 > 0:22:37will not settle for anything less other than that, my lords, my noble
0:22:37 > 0:22:41friend should accept that many of the changes that are happening in
0:22:41 > 0:22:46the marketplace are being driven by what the consumer wants and our job
0:22:46 > 0:22:52is to make sure that the marketplace can adapt to that.Today, Toys "R"
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Us went into administration of putting back 3000 jobs at risk, map
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and has called in the administrators, there was a crisis
0:23:00 > 0:23:04on the high street. Can the Minister tell us what the Government is doing
0:23:04 > 0:23:08to recognise the pressure that the Digital economy is putting on the
0:23:08 > 0:23:13physical shops of our high streets? Retailers have to pay business
0:23:13 > 0:23:18rates, that means they have to start off at a significant disadvantage.
0:23:18 > 0:23:24They'd have to contribute their producing responsibility levies,
0:23:24 > 0:23:29another disadvantage. They have to pay proper apprenticeship levy,
0:23:29 > 0:23:34another disadvantage. We cannot wait for a general statement, we have to
0:23:34 > 0:23:39do this now. The latest proposal, proposition, is that retail trading
0:23:39 > 0:23:45may decline climb at 22% in the next year. And really, it is time for the
0:23:45 > 0:23:51Government to move very urgently indeed.We have made changes in the
0:23:51 > 0:23:56autumn budget, we have measures worth to pointer billion, in terms
0:23:56 > 0:24:00of cutting business rates and bring a degree of fairness to the system,
0:24:00 > 0:24:04there are limits to how far one will go, one has to accept that a lot of
0:24:04 > 0:24:07what is happening as a result of what the consumers want, and this is
0:24:07 > 0:24:11obviously up to the retail sector itself to be able to adapt and
0:24:11 > 0:24:20change in the face of changing consumer and social trends.The
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Business Minister. Of the Government has said it will find time to
0:24:24 > 0:24:27increase maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving.
0:24:27 > 0:24:36Minister said last year they would act when motorists speeding or on
0:24:36 > 0:24:41under drinks, will face a life sentence. In a short debate and
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Westminster, conservative or is the case of a 74-year-old man killed by
0:24:44 > 0:24:50a drunk driver.The 29-year-old defendant had 15 previous
0:24:50 > 0:24:54convictions for 34 offences. Including two previous cases of
0:24:54 > 0:24:59dangerous driving. But he was jailed for just seven years, after
0:24:59 > 0:25:03admitting causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop at a scene
0:25:03 > 0:25:07of an accident, driving when disqualified, drunk driving, and
0:25:07 > 0:25:10having no insurance.Repine the Justice Minister setup action have
0:25:10 > 0:25:18to be taken.These are people whose recklessness with one and a half
0:25:18 > 0:25:22tonnes of metal, this incredibly dangerous weapon, it's unbelievable.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27This is why we as a government have committed to increasing penalties
0:25:27 > 0:25:32for causing death by reckless driving to a life sentence and why
0:25:32 > 0:25:36we are now working to find the time for that agenda to bring that in,
0:25:36 > 0:25:40and this needs to happen.Because he said, families currently didn't feel
0:25:40 > 0:25:46that they got justice. And that's it from us for now, do join me at the
0:25:46 > 0:25:49same time tomorrow, out for another round up of the day here at
0:25:49 > 0:26:02Westminster. But for now, for me, Alysia McCarthy, goodbye.