14/03/2018 Wednesday in Parliament

Now on BBC News,

Wednesday in Parliament.

Hello and welcome to the programme.

Coming up, Theresa May says 23

Russian diplomats will be expelled

after Moscow failed to explain

the nerve agent attack in Salisbury.

They have treated the use of a

military grade nerve agent in Europe

with sarcasm, content and defiance.

But the Labour leader

has more questions.

How has she responded to the request

for a sample of the agents used in

the Salisbury at tack to run its own

tests?

And the Communities

Secretary sets out a plan

to improve social cohesion.

Everyone, regardless of whether they

are a new arrival or they can trace

their ancestry back to the Norman

conquest feels proud to call this

country there are home.

But first, for the second time

in a week, the Prime Minister has

addressed MPs about the attempted

murder of a former Russian spy

and his daughter in Salisbury.

On Monday, there'd been an outcry

after Jeremy Corbyn was felt to have

abandoned the consensus that's usual

in Parliament when the UK

is under threat.

On Wednesday, Theresa May's midnight

deadline had passed and Moscow had

failed to explain the involvement

of a Russian-made nerve agent.

The Prime Minister

outlined her response.

It was right to offer Russia the

opportunity to provide an

explanation. Their response has

demonstrated complete disdain for

the gravity of these events. They

have provided no credible

explanation that could suggest they

lost control of their nerve agent.

No explanation as to how this agent

came to be used in the -- the United

Kingdom. No explanation as to why

Russia has an undeclared chemical

weapons programme in contravention

of international law. Instead, they

have treated the use of military

grade nerve agent in Europe sarcasm,

contempt and defiance. So, Mr

Speaker, there is no alternative

conclusion other than that the

Russian state was culpable for the

attempted murder of Mr Scrip role on

his daughter -- Mr Skripal.

She spelt out what measures

the Government would now be taking.

We will expel 23 diplomats who have

been declared as offices. They have

one week to leave. This will be the

single biggest expulsion for over 30

years and it reflect the fact that

this is not the first time that the

Russian state have acted against our

country. Through these expulsions,

we will fundamentally degrade

Russian intelligence capability in

the UK for years to come, we will

freeze Russian state assets were

over we have the evidence that they

may be used to threaten the life or

property of UK nationals or

residence, and led by the National

crime agency, we will continue to

bring all the capabilities of UK law

enforcement to bear against serious

criminals and corrupt elites. There

is no place for these people or

their money in our country.

In response, the opposition leader

condemned the attack in Salisbury.

He wondered if it was still possible

that Russia had lost

control of a nerve agent.

Has the Prime Minister taken the

necessary steps under the chemical

weapons Convention to make a formal

request for evidence on the Russian

government under article 9.2? How

has she responded to the Russian

government's request for a sample of

the agents used in the Salisbury

attacker to run it own tests? Has

high resolution trace analysis being

run on a sample of the nerve agent,

and has that revealed any evidence

as to the location of its product

shouldn't or the identity of its

perpetrators?

Jeering began when Mr Corbyn

condemned cutbacks

in diplomatic staff.

The Speaker interrupted to call

for order as Conservative MPs,

including those on the frontbench,

continued to heckle.

I couldn't understand a word of what

the Foreign Secretary just said, Mr

Speaker, but his Hager demeans his

office. -- is behaviour.

There was a terse response

to Jeremy Corbyn's stance

from the Prime Minister.

It was clear from the remarks that

were made by backbenchers across the

whole of this house on Monday that

there is a consensus across the back

benches of the South. I am only

sorry that the consensus does not go

as far as the right honourable

gentleman.

Who... Who could... Who could have

taken the opportunity as the UK

government has done to condemn the

culpability of the Russian state.

Many on the Labour backbenches

spoke out in support

of Theresa May's action,

including one MP who explicitly

condemned his own leader's response.

Responding with strength and resolve

when your country is under threat is

an essential component of political

leadership. There is labour

tradition that understands that and

it is understood by all parties who

have stood there.

Spokesmen from other parties

expressed solidarity

with the Government.

There has to be a robust response to

the use of terror on our streets. We

must act in a measured way to show

that we will simply not tolerate

this behaviour, and in this regard,

I will --, an associate with those

of these on these benches with the

measures contained in a statement.

We welcome the decisive action which

has been taken by the Prime Minister

today, and it sits in contrast with

the policy of appeasement that we

have heard from the front bench of

the Labour Party. I'm sure the

people of the UK are pleased that it

is a Prime Minister who is standing

behind that dispatch box today,

defending the rule of law and the

citizens of this country.

I say that

I and my party fully support the

Prime Minister's statements. But can

I ask, what is her response to the

brave Leader of the Opposition in

Russia? Who is not allowed to stand

in the presidential election. Who

has said that the most effective

action the British government can

take is to use its legal powers such

as the unexplained wealth orders

against named individuals who are

critical to the Putin operation?

A Labour MP had two

suggestions for cracking down

on Russian money-laundering.

She could bring forward the public

register of ownership properties,

which was promised by her

predecessor in 2015, and has been

delayed by this government, and in

the second place, she could increase

transparency in our corporate

structures so we would know who

forms companies here, where the

money comes from and deal with it if

it is illicit money brought in by

arms they breed people. -- on

slavery. -- unsavoury.

The Prime Minister said

she was looking at those options.

But it was a senior Conservative

who emphasised the seriousness

of the whole situation.

Ken Clarke.

This is actually a serious threat to

the safety of the Western world

unless we do or something together

to actually start getting the

Russians to do something as opposed

to simply ignore us.

Now to Prime Minister's Questions,

where Jeremy Corbyn urged

Theresa May to "get a grip"

on England's NHS.

The session had begun

with both leaders paying

tribute to the physicist

Professor Stephen Hawking,

whose death had been announced

just a few hours earlier.

But when questioning began

in earnest, the Labour leader

turned his attention to the health

service and raised two cases

which he believed highlighted

the problems it faced.

Firstly, he cited a cancer patient

unable to get treatment,

before turning to a letter

he'd received from a pensioner

called Hilary.

I am now having to pay for my

thyroid medication because the CCG

needs to save money. I've worked all

my life, paid national Insurance and

this is not fair.

Theresa May asked for the details

of the cases he'd raised.

May I just take this opportunity of

reminding him that I think he raised

the case about Georgina with me last

Hobart and hasn't written to me

about that.

And Theresa May went on to defend

the Government's record

on the health service.

Jeremy Corbyn said Georgina's case

had been resolved before he'd had

a chance to bring it

to the Prime Minister,

showing the power of Parliament.

He moved on to funding.

The NHS is clearly in crisis, so why

wasn't there a penny extra for the

NHS in yesterday's statement by the

chancellor?

Prime Minister...

Can I

say to the right honourable

gentlemen, we didn't wait until

yesterday's Spring statement to

announce more money for the NHS. We

are now sit in the budget last

autumn! And as a result of that, the

NHS is getting £2.5 billion more in

the forthcoming financial year, 18,

19, and more to resolve the nurses

pay settlement.

A recent reports

suggest that NHS funding will fall

by 0.3% in 2019. People's lives are

at stake. If the Prime Minister

really saying AMD doctors are wrong,

NHS managers are wrong, Royal

colleges are wrong, health unions

are wrong, and actually, it is only

she that knows best about the NHS?

We are putting more money into the

National Health Service, but what

you need in order to be able to do

that is to ensure that you have a

strong economy to provide the money

for the National health service.

What do we know about the policies?

It would cause a run on the pound,

crash our economy, less money for

the NHS.

Jeremy Corbyn!

When people

are dying because of long waits in

hospitals, I think the Prime

Minister should get a grip and

ensure the NHS now has the money

that it needs to deal with the

patient demands. We started with

Professor Stephen Hawking and he

said a few months ago, there is

overwhelming evidence that NHS

funding and the number of doctors

and nurses are inadequate and it's

getting worse. Does she agree with

Professor Hawking?

Prime Minister.

Once again, I'm very happy to point

out some facts to the right

honourable gentleman. There are

14,900 more doctors working in the

National Health Service. We have

almost 13,900 more nurses working on

how awards. Why don't we put an

emphasis on nurses working in our

wards? Because of what we saw under

the labour government in mid-

Staffs.

The SNP's Westminster leader turned

to a completely different subject.

The row between Westminster

and the Scottish and Welsh

governments over the return

of powers to the UK after Brexit.

Prime Minister famously claimed that

the UK was made up of equal

partners. What an irony. Now that is

overseeing the demolition of the

settlement. I call upon the Prime

Minister once again, stock with

attack on devolution and double your

efforts and working with the

ministrations in finding agreement.

This is the government has given

more powers to the Scottish

government. This is a government

that will be giving more powers to

the Scottish government, significant

extra powers will be given as a

result of the decisions that we are

taking around Brexit.

And there were accusations

of a Whitehall power grab

during Welsh Questions.

The Scottish and Welsh governments

are working on their own legislation

as a backstop in the event

that agreement is not reached

with ministers over

the EU Withdrawal Bill,

the so-called "continuity bills".

Plaid Cymru's leader at Westminster

said the Welsh EU Continuity Bill

was set to pass its first stage

in the Welsh Assembly.

If it passes, debates will be forced

out of this chamber and into the

court. Will the Secretary of State

confirm when the continuity bill

passes, whether he intends to fight

us in the courts?

The Wales Secretary

didn't think bills were necessary.

The 64 areas, we have already said

that 30 would pass without any need

for any further agreement or at the

very most, an informal agreement

between the UK government and the

administrations. There are 24 areas

whereby it is in the interests of

businesses in Wales, Scotland and

northern England and to have common

practices that we can predict the UK

market. 80% of Welsh output is sold

to the rest of the world.

The other question taxing MPs

with Welsh constituencies

was the proposed introduction of US

tariffs on steel.

If the Secretary of State aware of

the tax -- are aware of when George

Bush introduced tariffs, it led to

200,000 job losses.

What steps are

being taken to ensure American

politicians and employers and trade

unions up pushing President Trump to

drop these utterly self-defeating

tariffs?

The Minister said the Government

was deeply disappointed by the move.

This is such a priority to this

government. Across government action

to support it. As someone whose

father was a world in steel I

recognise the importance of this

industry.

Alan Cairns.

You're watching Wednesday

in Parliament with me, Mandy Baker.

If you want to catch

up with all the news

from Westminster on the go,

don't forget our sister programme,

Today in Parliament,

is available as a download

via the BBC Radio 4 Website.

Mistrust, anxiety and prejudice

are characterising too many

parts of the country,

the Communities Secretary has said.

He told MPs there was a "lack

of meaningful mixing" between people

from different backgrounds,

as he set out a government

consultation paper on how

to improve integration.

None of these measures dilutes the

government's commitment to project

legitimate rights to free speech and

practising religion within the law.

Indeed the green paper reaffirms

this commitment. But we cannot and

will not shy away from challenging

cultural practices that are harmful,

particularly for women and girls.

Recent news about the abuses in

Telford highlights how important

this is. Parents who work hard to

get on and give something back. I

want everyone in Britain to enjoy

opportunities. Playing a full and

proper role in British society. To

see people from all backgrounds

mixing really without fear to ensure

that everyone, regardless of whether

they are a new arrival or can trace

their ancestry back to the Norman

conquest, feels proud to call this

country it's home.

Labour said the strategy

needed to be ambitious

and backed by serious money.

So we welcome the Broads cost of the

strategy as an overdue first step

but despite the fact it lacks some

of the ambition, we would like the

strategy to be deeper and wider in

its approach. There are some

positive ideas to the statement. The

true test will be whether there is a

rigourous evaluation or any

successful strategy is given the

backing to be expanded to all areas.

Can I urge the government to make

sure its ambitions are matched by

sufficient funding to make a reality

and also to the Secretary of State

to recognise the route cause is a

lack of opportunity. There are two

feelgood jobs, low levels of

education and many people living in

poverty.

This parliament has

pandered to the tabloids. They

should apologise. This is a

government of go home fans, hostile

environments, making asylum seekers

destitute, preventing them from

working. Dealing highly skilled

migrants a threat to national

security. Of the Brexit shambles

which makes EU nationals feel so

unwelcome.

Despite the attitude

taken, we stand ready to work with

the Scottish Government to further

joint goals of having a more

integrated society.

Sajid Javid.

MPs spent much of the afternoon

on the first of two days

general debate on Brexit.

Discussion ranged from trade

to devolution to the Irish border.

A Labour MP meanwhile was highly

critical of the government's

handling of the Brexit negotiations.

This whole Brexit catastrophe is

like watching a car crash in slow

motion except that the fact that as

the driver, the Prime Minister is

holding her hands over her eyes and

tried to convince the passengers,

that is her own party and the

public, that everything will turn

out fine. There is a hit at it and

hope attitude from the government.

Completely ignoring the realities of

the modern world. The UK government

tells us it is all going to be well

and we are supposed to take it on

trust but through this entire

process to date, they have sought to

exclude Parliament.

A Conservative former MEP said

a transition arrangement

needed to be agreed now.

She gave an example of why

it was so important.

On the back of my mobile phone is a

CE mark on every product which is

placed in the market in Europe has

this mark in anything that has been

imported to the UK has to have this

mark put on it and the mark is

offered with a 12- month certificate

and so if you are importing your

mobile home from elsewhere, you need

someone who can issue a certificate

which takes you notice to the end of

this march but next March and unless

we resolve transition this month,

what happens to CE is a good place

on the market and it will not be

resolved. Actually, there are not

enough notified bodies to take the

place of the British notified bodies

today.

And that debate

continues on Thursday.

The question of how to deal

with Russia came up again

on the Committee corridor.

The Culture Secretary Matt Hancock

was asked whether the regulator

Ofcom should conduct a fit

and proper person test

on Russia Today, or RT,

the Russian Federation's news

channel which operates in the UK.

In a statement yesterday, of Com

said that should the UK

investigating authorities determine

there was an unlawful use of force,

we will consider this to be

satisfied that RT is fit and proper.

Has that condition be met? They said

that should the UK authorities

determine there was in what will use

force, they will consider this

relevant in their ongoing duty to be

satisfied that RT is fit and proper.

We do consider there was an unlawful

use of force by the Russian state

against the UK. It's a question four

of Com on how to react to that.

It's

very important bits is a matter for

Com. That is the structure of

regulation that was put in place and

has strong cross-party support and

one of the other things the Prime

Minister said, we must respond to

this threat from Russia appropriate

to our values and one of our values

is that politicians and the

government don't interfere.

The

Prime Minister has talked about

hostile state activity in general.

TUC disinformation emanating from

the Russian state through the

distribution of fake news or

incidents were Russian state

broadcasters have breached UK code.

DC mitigations as part of that

package?

Yes, we've clearly seen

activity from Russia directed that

all Western democracies. And that

includes here in the UK and the

committee has done excellent work in

ensuring that we get to the bottom

of the quantum of that. And there is

clearly intent.

But he said that in the UK

the impact of this

disinformation had been minimal.

For instance, when it comes to the

referendum, there is no evidence the

outcome of the referendum has been

affected. If you look at the scale

of activity, on the evidence that we

have so far seen, there is no

evidence of an impact on the overall

result, not least because the margin

was over a million votes in the

scale of the impact that we have

evidence for as much more.

Matt Hancock also said he'd

commissioned independent research

on the effects of fake

news and disinformation.

He was then asked what more social

media platforms should do to stop

foreign intervention in elections,

particularly when it's sometimes

impossible to trace the person

responsible for a post.

There are some ways that we have

tackled that and some of them using

the law and some not. In not using

the law, when Daesh were using

Twitter aggressively, we set up UK

against Daesh and a series of

Twitter accounts which make the

argument in the opposite direction

in that campaign was very

successful.

Owners of dogs with behavioural

problems can buy collars which give

the animal an electric shock.

The idea is help train them,

but campaigners argue

the devices are cruel.

MPs have called for their use to be

banned in England and they debated

the issue in Westminster Hall.

A Conservative MP described the case

of Ostarra Langridge in Brighton

who used an electric collar

on her dogs.

The first time that all got a shock

was when they were buying stake.

From then on, her pets associated

the shocks with small dogs and

therefore became afraid of them. So

when Mr language -- language

described the day when her dogs

turned on a shiatsu, she had tears

in arise, they connected the pain of

the electric shock with dogs because

the first time I used the collar,

the day that machine came in this

house, I regret.

The Environment Minister said he'd

heard cases both good and bad.

There are often quoted reactions to

colours such as people using

hand-held devices is the strongest

sitting in the first use. Another

example is in relation to

containment fences and when a dog

chases something beyond the boundary

line, they are often too scared to

return. The stories of dogs who

might be alive today were it not for

these collars. This consultation

obviously provides supporters of the

colours and opponents of such

devices to express their views on

this issue.

The Minister said it was already

an offence to cause unnecessary

suffering to an animal,

but a ban would give

clarity on the issue.

And finally, MPs are always anxious

to get in a good word

about their constituency

and the ideal time to do this

is Prime Minister's Questions.

So in the very dying minutes,

one Conservative seized his chance.

The inspirational music man project

in Southend that works with people

who have learning difficulties has

now set a world record for tinkling

the most number of triangles of.

Does my right honourable friend

agree with me that that is yet

another reason why Southend should

be made a city?

The Prime Minister seemed unwilling

to commit to Southend becoming

a city on just the strength

of that, but...

I am very happy to congratulate the

music man project in Southend for

the record they have achieved in

tinkling triangles.

Now there's a phrase you don't hear

a Prime Minister say every day.

And that's all.

So from me, Mandy Baker, goodbye.

Hello there.